U.S. Department of Justice Alice H. Martin United States Attorney Northern District of Alabama

DEFENDANT GUILTY OF FILING FRAUDULENT TAX RETURNS

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Alice H. Martin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama and James D. Vickery, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, announce that RICKEY DORSEY, 44, of Birmingham, Alabama, pled guilty today to 30 counts of filing false claims against the government, in connection with a scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

According to U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin, DORSEY convinced a number of Birmingham-area residents to provide him personal information, including their names and Social Security numbers, in exchange for his promise to assist them in obtaining government grant money and tax refunds from prior years. DORSEY, instead, used the information to file unauthorized tax returns, resulting in his receiving thousand of dollars in fraudulent refunds from the Department of Treasury. DORSEY perpetrated his scheme in 2000 and 2001.

DORSEY could receive a maximum of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of the Indictment. Sentencing is scheduled for later this year before United States District Judge David Proctor.

"Tax refunds generated by fraudulent schemes are matters demanding immediate attention. With tax deadlines fast approaching, individuals are cautioned that a large refund that appears ‘too good to be true', may be just that," stated U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin.

The case was investigated by IRS Special Agent Pam McClain and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William G. Simpson.

###