A Cleveland woman was named in a 21-count indictment, accused of filing false income tax returns on behalf of friends and relatives and fraudulently claiming more than $131,000, said Acting U.S. Attorney Carole Rendon and Kathy Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
Monique Kirk, 39, held herself out as a tax preparer and offered to prepare returns from friends and relatives. Kirk used the personal information they provided to file false and fictitious returns, including false wage income and tax credit information, many for claimants who earned little or no money, according to the indictment.
Kirk requested some of the refunds be paid by direct deposit into bank accounts in the name of third parties that she controlled. Kirk converted his money to her own personal use, according to the indictment.
Kirk filed 21 false tax returns between 2012 and 2014 in which she claimed approximately $131,871 in tax refunds to which neither she nor the claimants were entitled, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Kendra Klump following an investigation by the IRS-CI.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
