A Rockford woman was sentenced in federal court Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala for making false claims for federal income tax refunds and using other persons’ identification in connection with the fraudulent claims for income tax refunds.
According to a news release, Crystal Jackson, 29, of Rockford, who pleaded guilty to the charges on Nov. 28, 2016, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years supervised release, and was ordered to pay $200 in special assessment, as well as to pay the United States Treasury $99,479 in restitution.
According to the written plea agreement, Jackson admitted that between 2011 and 2013, she prepared and filed, both electronically and by mail, 45 false federal individual income tax returns in the names of other individuals without their permission, causing fraudulent claims for refunds to be made against the United States Treasury. The 45 false returns were filed with the IRS for tax years 2010, 2011, and 2012, and requested refunds totaling $189,237. Jackson admitted that as a result of her fraud, the IRS issued refunds in the total amount of $99,479.
According to the plea agreement, the refunds were issued in the form of U.S. Treasury checks or credited to debit cards in the names of the individuals in whose names Jackson fraudulently filed the federal income tax returns. Jackson further admitted that she used ATM machines to withdraw the funds placed on the debit cards.
The sentencing was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and James D. Robnett, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.