A Union City truck driver has pleaded guilty to a mail fraud scheme involving fraudulent COVID-19 employment tax credits. Dantavious Jackson, 39, admitted to defrauding the United States by claiming over $4 million in false refunds related to COVID-19 employment tax credits.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Tara M. Lyons, confirmed that Jackson pled guilty and now faces up to 20 years in prison, along with supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Jackson operated a trucking business and also prepared tax forms for others without proper identification as required by the IRS. His fraudulent activities involved submitting false claims under the CARES Act's employee retention credit (ERC) program by filing incorrect IRS Forms 941 between June 2022 and August 2023.
The scheme involved fabricating employees and wages on these forms to claim $4,112,297 in refunds fraudulently. As a result, $1,567,855 in fake refunds were issued by the U.S. Treasury to Jackson and his clients.
IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent Demetrius Hardeman emphasized accountability for those committing fraud under the CARES Act: "IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are still opening cases and investigating those who stole funds that were intended for American workers, families, and small businesses."
