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File Your Taxes Early

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced multiple indictments in an alleged identity theft scheme operating out of Birmingham, Ala. Nakeisha Hall, 39, Jimmie Goodman, 37, Abdulla Coleman, 37, and Lashon Roberson, 36, were indicted with various counts including mail fraud, conspiracy, theft of government funds, and aggravated identity theft. The alleged scheme involved Hall using personal information to electronically file fraudulent tax returns, with refunds to be paid onto debit cards that were mailed to drop addresses, netting over $1 million in false tax refunds over the course of nearly four years. According to the indictment, Hall — the alleged ringleader — would obtain the information through unauthorized access to computers at the IRS, where she worked in Birmingham’s Taxpayer Advocate Service office, where she was “supposed to be assisting taxpayers experiencing problems resulting from identity theft.” (MS/Birmingham News) ...The conspirators assisted taxpayers out of their hard-earned money — just like the rest of the IRS.