THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Jun 1, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic
Huffington Post
HuffPost
29 Nov 2024


NextImg:2 Tennessee Tax Preparers Charged With Filing $65 Million In False Claims Under Pandemic Programs

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Two tax preparers submitted $65 million in false claims for refunds under programs designed to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal prosecutors in Tennessee said Wednesday.

A federal grand jury indicted Renata Walton, 44, and Nicole Jones, 36, on more than 50 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, preparing false tax returns and obstruction of justice, the U.S. attorney’s office in Memphis said in a news release.

Walton and Jones, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, pleaded not guilty on Monday and were each released on $100,000 bond. Court records do not list lawyers for them, and their tax preparation business is closed “for the season,” according to a phone message at the number for R&B Tax Express in Moscow, Tennessee.

Prosecutors said Walton and Jones filed for tax credits for their clients under the Employee Retention Credit and the Sick and Family Leave Credit, but their clients were not entitled to them. The clients received six-figure tax refunds, and they paid Walton and Jones large fees that they laundered through local banks, the indictment said.

The Employee Retention Credit is a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses and organizations that had employees and were affected during the pandemic. The Sick and Family Leave Credit provided tax credits to employers for wages paid for leave taken by workers who needed to recover from injury, disability, illness or conditions related to vaccinations.

Walton is also charged with submitting false Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications to the Small Business Administration.

“In total, Walton and Jones filed fraudulent claims seeking over $65 million dollars,” the news release said.

Both tax preparers were “put on notice” that the federal government was investigating them, but they continued to file false returns, the indictment said. Walton also encouraged her tax clients not to speak with Internal Revenue Service agents, the indictment said.

Democracy In The Balance

Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down.

Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

___

This story has been corrected to say that Walton and Jones pleaded not guilty on Monday.