Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced two Tampa brothers for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and aggravated identity theft. Keith Godbolt was sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison and Paul Johnson was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. As part of their sentences, the Court also entered joint and several money judgements in the amount of $221,000, representing the proceeds of the tax fraud conspiracy. Godbolt and Johnson pleaded guilty in December 2016.
According to court documents, from August 2011 through April 2013, Godbolt, Johnson, and their co-defendant and mother, Elise Ellis, conspired to commit wire fraud, theft of government property, and identity theft by electronically filing fraudulent tax returns in other people’s names, using their social security numbers. The fraudulent tax refunds were directed to bank accounts in defendants’ names, or in some cases, to debit cards they controlled. Godbolt, Johnson, and Ellis then withdrew the fraudulent refunds by writing checks or otherwise transferring funds to each other through bank transfers or cash withdrawals.
Most of the fraudulently filed tax returns claimed unusually high taxable interest or dividend income, many using the exact same figure, with a large withholding amount, and a false occupation listed for the taxpayer. Many of the victims were deceased when their false tax return was filed.
Ellis pleaded guilty on Jan. 3, 2017, she is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2017.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley C. Howard-Allen.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
