Tampa, Florida - Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that a federal jury has found Ingrid McBride Rich (New Port Richey, 52) guilty of presenting a false claim to an agency of the United States and obstructing and impeding the Internal Revenue Service in the collection of taxes. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the false claim charge and up three years in federal prison for the obstruction charge. Her sentencing hearing has been set for Nov. 14, 2017.
Rich was indicted on Dec. 13, 2013.
According to evidence presented at trial, in March 2009, Rich submitted a fraudulent tax return to the IRS for tax year 2008 that resulted in her obtaining a refund in the amount of $510,222. After obtaining the refund check, she deposited it into a new bank account, and then immediately began transferring the money into various accounts (in her name and in the name of entities she owned) using cashier’s checks and cash transfers to thwart the efforts of the IRS in recouping the funds. She also sent the IRS frivolous correspondence, including bogus money orders and tax documents, with the intent that such correspondence impede the IRS’s collection efforts. Due to Rich’s obstruction, the IRS was only able to recoup a nominal amount of the fraudulently obtained funds.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Jones and Adam Saltzman.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
