Los Angeles, California – LAWFUEL – The Law Newswire – A Hawthorne, California woman pleaded guilty today in United States District Court in Los Angeles to filing false claims with the Internal Revenue Service in a scheme that sought over $1,000,000 in federal income tax refunds.
Uzeegoa Makeba Sayles, 39, faces up to 5 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 for her crimes when sentenced later this year. In her guilty plea, Sayles admitted that, from January 2001 through October 2006, she had filed at least 204 false federal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service claiming income tax refunds totaling $1,070,308 from the government. Sayles admitted that the amounts that she claimed were for refunds that Sayles knew the persons named on the tax returns were not entitled to receive.
According to the criminal complaint previously filed in this case, Internal Revenue Service investigators linked the 204 false income tax returns to Sayles. Of the more than $1 million in refunds claimed by Sayles in this scheme, $603,971.66 in refunds were actually deposited into bank accounts controlled by Sayles or her relatives. Further, the complaint details that 203 of the 204 returns that were linked to Sayles were filed in the names of persons who were deceased at the time the returns were filed.
In her plea agreement, Sayles admits that the total amount of restitution she will be required to make totals $603,971.66.
United States District Judge Robert M. Takasugi ordered Sayles to appear for sentencing on August 27, 2007
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by IRS – Criminal Investigation in Los Angeles.
