Alabama resident Vernon Harrison has been indicted for conspiring to file false income tax claims, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and embezzlement from the mail. According to the Justice Department, Mr. Harrison used his position as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier to obtain debit cards that were sent to addressees on his Montgomery postal route.
Postal Worker Stole Debit Cards from Mail to Use in Tax Fraud Scheme
Using the debit cards, Mr. Harrison and his co-conspirators engaged in a stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) conspiracy. They filed fraudulent income tax returns using the stolen identities. Mr. Harrison was paid to provide the debit cards to a co-conspirator.
If he is convicted, Mr. Harrison faces a substantial prison term, fines, mandatory restitution, and forfeiture.
Whistleblowers Can Help the Federal Government Stop Tax Fraud
Whistleblowers play a critical role in identifying and stopping tax fraud, and so the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 allows the IRS Whistleblower Office to provide whistleblowers financial awards under special circumstances. The awards can range from 15 percent to as much as 30 percent of the total recovery.
If you know that someone is committing tax fraud, that information is important to the IRS. Learn about your rights as a whistleblower by talking to an experienced attorney. Our highly skilled tax fraud lawyers have decades of experience working with whistleblowers. Email Waters & Kraus or call our attorneys at 800.226.9880 to learn more about our practice and how we can assist.
