An Arizona woman pleaded guilty Thursday to attempting to defraud the government of $7.7 million by falsifying tax records, federal officials said.
According to the US Department of Justice, Regina Durkin of New River filed fraudulent quarterly employment tax forms and claimed credits to which she was not entitled.
Prosecutors claim Durkin and his co-conspirators sought false tax refunds based on credits provided to businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. However, their companies did not have any employees and paid no wages at the time.
They submitted 14 claims, which were discovered to be fraudulent.
“No matter the scheme, agency, or programme involved, those who cheat on their taxes for personal enrichment undermine the very foundation of public trust,” Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division stated in a press statement. “We will protect the integrity of our tax system and ensure that those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of honest citizens face the full weight of federal prosecution.”
Durkin is expected to be sentenced on September 11 after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to file fraudulent claims. She faces a maximum prison sentence of ten years.
“Our work continues as we find and prosecute individuals like Ms Durkin who took a benefit meant to help the public during a crisis and used it instead to line their own pockets,” District of Arizona U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said in a statement.
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