A 32-year-old Macon woman faces 27 years in prison after stealing the identities of nursing home patients and filing a half-million dollars worth of fraudulent tax returns.
Yolando Blount, also known as Yolanda King, was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Macon after pleading guilty in September to wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy, theft of public money, aggravated identity theft and access device fraud.
“Ms. Blount's actions represent the worst kind of greed accompanied by criminal conduct,” U.S. Attorney Michael Moore said in a news release. “Identity theft and fraud are not victimless crimes. When you want to know who the victims are, all you have to do is look in the mirror.”
Moore said Blount not only stole identities from patients, but stole from the American people by obtaining fraudulent tax refunds.
Investigators found a total of $511,951 in claims on her laptop computer that resulted in $460,692 in refunds paid by the Internal Revenue Service.
The loss to the United States, including the nursing home patient refunds and Capital City Bank refunds, totals $493,506.60, the release stated. The fraudulent refund claims add up to $550,150.60.
Judge Marc T. Treadwell ordered Blount to pay restitution of $493,506.60.
Blount's sentencing should “serve as a stark reminder to others that such greed-based criminal behavior as seen in this case comes at a cost,” said Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot, IRS criminal investigation special agent in charge.
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Copyright 2014 – The Macon Telegraph
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Tags: Income Tax, Taxes
