USAO, District of Maryland - Press Release

Summary

On June 11, 2013, in U.S. District Court, Baltimore, Maryland,  Sheila Anderson-Cloude, Financial Management Specialist, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), was indicted on charges related to a conspiracy to obtain fraudulent tax refunds, sometimes using the personal information of other individuals, without their knowledge or permission. 

The investigation revealed that Anderson-Cloude prepared and filed a portion of the fraudulent tax returns on her work computer and while at work.  It is alleged that from February 8, 2010, through February 20, 2012, Anderson-Cloude conspired to enrich herself by filing and causing others to file false federal income tax returns in order to obtain tax refunds to which she was not entitled. Anderson-Cloude obtained the identifying information of individuals, including their names, dates of birth and social security numbers, in order to file fraudulent tax returns. She filed at least 13 false federal tax returns, all of which fraudulently claimed refunds in amounts between $4,800 and $8,907. When questioned by agents, Anderson-Cloude made false statements when she claimed that she never kept more than $500 for preparing a return and that she never made up numbers to put on the tax returns she prepared.

We are conducting this investigation jointly with IRS Criminal Investigation Division (CID).

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.