Former IRS Employee Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft

Used Information Supplied by Taxpayers Seeking Assistance to File Fraudulent Returns

A former employee for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison for aggravated identity theft, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak for the Northern District of Georgia.

According to court documents, Stephanie Parker worked for the IRS as a Contact Representative in Atlanta, Georgia.  Between September 2012 and March 2013, taxpayers called into the IRS for assistance, and Parker handled the taxpayers’ inquiries.  During the calls, Parker obtained the taxpayers’ Social Security numbers and addresses.  On at least five occasions, Parker used the taxpayers’ personal information to electronically file fraudulent tax returns in their names without their authorization.  Parker directed the fraudulent tax refunds to bank accounts controlled by her friends.  Parker, in turn, had the money withdrawn from at least one of those accounts, deposited a portion of the money into her own bank account, and used it for personal expenses.

In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, Parker was also ordered to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $5,964 in restitution to the IRS.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Pak commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Alexander Effendi and Michael Boteler of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.