Tax day 2017 - IRS Agents' Alleged Tax Fraud
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By Ron Lee
Investigative Journalist(US~Observer) Fresno, CA - Two female IRS agents have been indicted in separate cases for filing false tax returns by a federal grand jury. According to the United States Attorney's Office, the two women, Pamela Pringle and Marcela Heredia, were both employed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during the time of the alleged crimes.
According to Pringle's March 30th, seven count indictment, she was employed by the IRS from "2000 to 2015 in various positions, including as a Contact Representative." It was Pringle's time in the role of contact representative that gave her access to taxpayers' accounts while responding to taxpayer inquiries. The indictment maintains Pringle not only filed her own fraudulent tax return, but aided others in filing more deductions than what was legally available to them.
Pringle faces a fine up to $250,000 and 8 years in a federal prison.
Marcela Heredia is being indicted on seven counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, as well as a count of "making and subscribing a false return, statement or other document." Heredia had worked for the IRS as a Tax Examiner while also being employed by the Transitional Living Center (TLC) as a Youth Care Specialist. The indictment indicates that, "TLC was a residential home for homeless young adults operated by the Fresno Economic Opportunity Commission (FEOC). Many of the residents of TLC were former foster children who recently reached the age of majority."
Heredia is said to have utilized her positions at the facility and the IRS to offer tax services to the disenfranchised youth of TLC by offering to look over and even file their taxes. Heredia would tell the individuals at TLC that they didn't make enough money to file a tax return, but would still file one on their behalf without their knowledge, knowing they were entitled to a tax refund. According to the indictment, "Heredia did not notify the purported taxpayers that she had filed tax returns in their name, and when the defendant obtained refunds from the IRS for the purported taxpayers, she did not notify the taxpayers of the refund and did not distribute any of the refund to them." In fact, the indictment maintains the refunds were always direct deposited into accounts controlled by Heredia.
It is further alleged, Heredia also used her position to look into the files of previous clients to gain their personal information and file returns without their knowledge.
Heredia faces a fine of up to $250,000 and 25 years in a federal prison.
One thing is certain in both cases, tax day will have a new meaning for them for years to come.
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