Jessica Crawford, 33, the owner of Crawford Tax Services in Athens, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and helping prepare fraudulent tax returns. The scheme resulted in over $3 million in false tax claims. Crawford's sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2025, and she faces up to 30 years in federal prison, a $1 million fine, and five years of supervised release. The plea was reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
According to USA Herald, Jessica Crawford filed false claims for tax credits and benefits, such as sick leave, family leave, and dependent exemptions, on tax returns for 2020 and 2021. This caused significant losses for the Internal Revenue Service. "Jessica Crawford was an unscrupulous return preparer who allowed greed to cloud her judgment and neglected her responsibility to file accurate tax returns," said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation in Atlanta.
Crawford was caught in a federal investigation into pandemic-related fraud for filing fake claims for unemployment benefits. She created fake businesses to steal money meant for people affected by COVID-19. In April 2022, an undercover IRS operation found her preparing a fake tax refund. A review of her past tax returns showed over $3 million in fraudulent claims. The case is being handled by federal prosecutors and investigators from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service, as stated by FOX 5 Atlanta.
