United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2011
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

MANSFIELD, TEXAS, MAN ADMITS TO THEFT OF
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT

DALLAS — Thomas W. Richardson pleaded guilty this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to one count of theft of government property and one count of aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas and John A. DiCicco, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division. According to the order setting conditions for his release, Richardson, who remains on bond, is a resident of Mansfield, Texas. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Boyle on December 1, 2011. He faces a sentence of between two and 12 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to plea documents filed in the case, Richardson admitted that within a two-day period, April 15, 2006 to April 17, 2006, he filed or caused to be filed 29 fraudulent 2005 IRS Forms 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns. Each federal income tax return claimed a refund of between $215,801 and $473,832. Richardson admitted that the refunds claimed by all 29 tax returns totaled $7,922,657. He further admitted that each tax return was filed claiming the married filing jointly election and listed two taxpayers, husband and wife. In each case the Social Security Number reported on the tax returns were assigned to individuals and in most cases, the names on the tax returns matched the names of the individuals to whom the Social Security Numbers were assigned. Richardson admitted that the tax returns were prepared without the authorization of the 58 taxpayers listed on the tax returns. All of the returns directed that the IRS pay the money to one of Richardson’s bank accounts. According to plea documents filed in the case, the IRS paid out seven refunds totaling $1,865,401 between May 12, 2006 and May 19, 2006. All but $31,149 was recouped by the IRS.

The case is being investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Tax Division Trial Attorneys Robert A. Kemins and Jed Silversmith, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Revesz, are prosecuting the case.

More information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/tax/.

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