Lashanda Vinnett, 30, of Destrehan has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and the Internal Revenue Service.
U.S. District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced Vinnett to the jail term along with three years supervised release and $1.09 million in restitution to the United States, according to U.S Attorney Kenneth A. Polite.On Oct. 21, 2014, co-defendant Cathy Vinnett, Lashand’s mother, also of Destrehan, was sentenced to 41 months in jail.
According to court documents, Cathy Vinnett opened the D&C Tax Service in 2006 and in 2008, and Cathy Vinnett along with daughter, Lashanda Vinnett, created River Parish Tax Professionals, LaPlace, La., of which they filed fraudulent tax returns. The two, through the River Parish business, filed about 310 tax returns, which falsely claimed the First-Time Homebuyer Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, as well as the listing of false dependents, resulting in about $1.84 million in fraudulent tax refunds.
Prior to the court proceeding, the IRS seized about $482,000 in illegal proceeds from bank accounts controlled by the two.
In addition, the IRS prevented about $270,000 in intended fraudulent refunds from being processed.
The two also used recruiters to locate potential clients. These recruiters advised potential clients that the federal government was giving out stimulus money and instructed them to visit their River Parish business to obtain their money.
Lashanda and Cathy Vinnett interviewed clients at their office to obtain their personal information, including their name, address and Social Security number. The two used this information to file false tax returns in these clients’ names without their knowledge.
Additionally, the two attempted to “conceal and shield” Cathy Vinnett’s identity from the IRS, knowing the federal agency had previously suspended her electronic filing identification number as a result of another fraudulent tax scheme involving D&C Tax Service.
“We are very pleased with the sentences imposed by the court in this matter. Cathy and Lashanda Vinnett used their business to defraud the government and to take advantage of unsuspecting taxpayers,” said Jerome R. McDuffie, acting special agent in charge of the IRS’ Criminal Investigation New Orleans Field Office. “Lengthy prison sentences will allow them ample time to consider the seriousness of their crimes. IRS-CI is diligent in our efforts to combat return preparer fraud. As filing season is still underway, I would like to encourage taxpayers to exercise caution when choosing a return preparer, and also to report those they suspect of wrongdoing.”
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