A Cleveland Heights woman was sentenced to more than three years in prison for fraudulently claiming false tax refunds for more than $700,000, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and IRS Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner.
Janice Parks, 57, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government. U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi sentenced Parks to 41 months in prison and ordered her to pay $701,052 in restitution.
Parks represented herself as a tax preparer, first as the operator of J & H Professional Tax Services, which she operated from her home, then as the operator of Cleveland-based Jantaxx.
Parks and others falsely claimed tax credits on behalf of people who were not entitled to the credits. She directed others, including her incarcerated sons, to recruit people whose identities she could use to file fraudulent tax returns, according to court documents.
In many instances, Parks requested that portions of the refunds be directed to various bank accounts that she used for her personal gain, according to court documents.
Parks filed returns claiming nearly $1.5 million in fraudulent tax returns. The IRS paid refunds totaling approximately $700,000, according to court documents.
“This defendant stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from taxpayers and earned this prison sentence," Herdman said.
“This defendant stole $700,000 in fraudulent income tax refunds and today’s sentencing proves that stealing from the government is a serious crime," Korner said.
Helen Wynder, 55, of Cleveland, previously pleaded guilty to her role in the crime. She was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay $701,052 in restitution.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carmen E. Henderson and Ranya Elzein following an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
