John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CRAIG FRANCIS, also known as Horus Durjaya Bey, 44, of Windsor, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of filing a false tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2009, FRANCIS E-filed a 2008 federal income tax return that listed falsely inflated amounts of both interest income received and taxable income withheld by the government, and requested a fraudulent refund of $255,904. The Internal Revenue Service issued the refund before determining that the tax return was fraudulent, and that FRANCIS was actually entitled to a refund of only $4,073.
FRANCIS spent more than $220,000 within five weeks of receiving the fraudulent refund.
FRANCIS is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson on May 17, 2018, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years. FRANCIS has agreed that, as of today’s date, he owes restitution to the IRS of $380,448.06, which includes interest and penalties.
FRANCIS was arrested on June 7, 2017, in Kissimmee, Florida. He is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Kopel.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
