A tax preparer from Athens, Georgia, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for her involvement in filing over $3.5 million in fraudulent tax returns as part of a COVID-19 pandemic unemployment benefit scheme. Jessica Crawford, aged 34, was handed the sentence by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. "Tripp" Self, III on May 8. Following her prison term, Crawford will undergo five years of supervised release.
Crawford had previously admitted guilt to charges of wire fraud and aiding and assisting in preparing and presenting false income tax returns on November 22, 2024. Her activities were linked to a larger investigation into fraudulent claims during the pandemic.
Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker stated that federal law enforcement had uncovered "a large-scale tax return scheme during the pandemic that was costing taxpayers while benefiting fraudsters." She emphasized that federal prosecutors would continue their efforts to uphold the law in such cases.
Assistant Special Agent Lisa Fontanette from the Atlanta Field Office remarked on Crawford's misuse of her position as a tax preparer to exploit a CARES Act program meant for those unemployed due to COVID-19. Fontanette noted that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents would persist in investigating and holding accountable unethical tax preparers.
Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, criticized Crawford for taking advantage of funds intended for those truly in need during the pandemic. He affirmed that the FBI would continue its efforts against those defrauding taxpayers.
Court documents revealed that FBI agents found text messages linking Crawford to individuals involved in creating fake businesses or submitting false information for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits during their investigation into a multi-state scheme related to COVID-19 relief programs.
IRS-Criminal Investigations conducted an undercover operation at Crawford's business, where she was found manipulating client interactions to create fictitious business losses on tax returns, leading to fraudulent refunds.
A review by the IRS determined that out of 1,261 total tax returns filed by Crawford during 2020 and 2021, many included falsely claimed credits resulting in significant losses exceeding $3 million for the IRS.
The case was investigated by both the FBI and IRS-CI with Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuting it for the government.