Las Vegas Woman Sentenced to 39 Months in Federal Prison for Operating Fraudulent Tax Return Business

PORTLAND, Ore.—Gloria Harris, 48, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today to 39 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for operating a fraudulent tax return business. Harris was also ordered to pay more than $548,000 in restitution.

As part of the scheme, Harris prepared more than 100 fraudulent tax returns requesting nearly $600,000 in fraudulent refunds from the IRS.

According to court documents, between 2012 and 2016, Harris operated a covert tax preparation scheme whereby she would file client tax returns as “self-prepared” returns to mask her participation in the filings. Harris would increase the size of the fraudulent returns by falsely claiming that unrelated children were dependents to qualify clients for various tax breaks including the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Harris began to raise suspicion among certain clients by refusing to provide copies of file returns, chastising them for asking questions in writing, and withholding refunds. On one occasion, Harris delivered a $1,400 “refund” in cash to a client in a parking lot. Investigators later learned that this client was a due a refund of more $8,500 from the IRS.

Harris previously pleaded guilty to one count each of making false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims against the U.S. and aggravated identity theft on July 18, 2018.

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.