Tampa, Florida - Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that Latronda Brooks (44, Palmetto) has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft in connection with income tax fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the theft charge, followed by an additional two-year, consecutive sentence for the aggravated identity theft charge. Brooks also agreed to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $327,521, representing the proceeds of the tax fraud.
According to court documents, Brooks opened an Urban Trust Bank account in her name, doing business as Magnificent Tax Services, and used it to deposit fraudulent tax refund checks. These fraudulent checks were falsely endorsed with the taxpayer’s signature and deposited with a falsely endorsed “permission" form that purportedly gave Brooks permission to deposit third-party tax refund checks into her bank account. Brooks spent the money from the third-party tax refunds on personal expenditures, including paying others involved in the tax fraud, and did not provide any of the funds to the taxpayer.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
