IRS employee indicted for stealing taxpayers’ data, refunds

By

Tony Ware

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 22: The Internal Revenue Service Building is shown July 22, 2013 in Washington, DC. Due to current shortfalls in the federal budget, all Internal Revenue Service operations are closed today, with another furlough day scheduled for next month. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

An Internal Revenue Service employee in Georgia has allegedly used her access to taxpayers’ personally identifiable information to file tax returns seeking refunds in their names. 

An IRS employee since November 2010, Stephanie Parker of Atlanta, Georgia, has been indicted for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. She allegedly exploited her position between September 2012 and April 2013 to use social security numbers and dates of birth to fraudulently obtain tax refunds that would be directed into nominee bank accounts and used to purchase money orders.

If convicted, Parker faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and a statutory minimum sentence of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft counts. Additionally, she faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.