Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
Jackson, Miss – Brenda Norman, 55, of McComb, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for knowingly conspiring with Yvonne Gary, 36, of Hermanville, to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by obtaining and aiding each other to obtain the payment of a fraudulent claim, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Jerome R. McDuffie, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation New Orleans Field Office. Norman was also ordered to repay $493,111.00 jointly and severally with Yvonne Gary to the Internal Revenue Service. Yvonne Gary, 36, was sentenced on September 10, 2015 to serve 32 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
As part of the conspiracy, Brenda Norman obtained the name and social security numbers of elderly and disabled individuals she met through her religious organization. After Norman obtained the names and social security numbers, she provided them to Yvonne Gary. Gary would use the names and social security numbers to prepare and submit fraudulent federal income tax returns to the IRS. The false income tax returns contained false wage and income information with fraudulent deductions and credits. The false tax returns claimed $493,111.00 in refunds.
Jerome R. McDuffie, Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans Field Office for IRS Criminal Investigation, stated: “As filing season approaches, taxpayers should be admonished to seek out reputable tax return preparers. Additionally, it is imperative that the public educate themselves on the schemes and farces perpetrated by individuals such as Brenda Norman and Yvonne Gary. These individuals preyed on the vulnerable and used their personal identifying information to make a quick buck for themselves. Educating the public about these schemes is a continuing focus for IRS – Criminal Investigation, and will go a long way in preventing future occurrences of fraud. It is also my hope that the sentence imposed in this case will serve to deter others from engaging in the same or similar criminal conduct.”
U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis praised the efforts of IRS- Criminal Investigation agents who investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Gilbert who prosecuted the case.
