“Honest Relieable” Tax Service Provider Found Guilty Of Wire Fraud And Identity Theft

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Donna Demps guilty of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.  She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 3, 2017.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Demps formed the Florida corporation “D&D Honest Relieable [sic] Tax Services LLC.” She then used the corporation to open bank accounts into which she electronically transferred tax refunds obtained by stealing the identities of real people, many of whom were veterans, disabled, elderly, or otherwise unable to care for themselves. Demps never registered her tax preparation service with the Internal Revenue Service since she would have had to reveal that she was an eight-time convicted felon. Through her bank accounts, Demps stole more than $120,000 over a one-year period.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo and Kristen A. Fiore.