A former Monterey County resident, now a Las Vegas local, has been sent behind bars for a scheme that netted close to $875,000 in fraudulent tax refunds. Richard Jason Mountford received a 27-month prison term yesterday, handed down by U.S. Chief District Judge Troy L. Nunley for his role in conspiring to file false claims against the U.S. government.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mountford, along with a concealed co-conspirator, used stolen identities to file fraudulent tax returns, wrongfully claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars from the IRS. The scam unfolded over four years, between 2016 and 2020. Court documents revealed that Mountford, together with his unnamed partner in crime, concocted false income tax returns for themselves and two others, reports fabricated earnings and withholdings from a fabricated employer. Their scheme inflated refunds through falsified claims, including non-existent alimony payments.
"Tax fraud schemes like the defendant's cost the government millions of dollars a year and can lead to substantial prison time," U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert told the Justice Department. IRS Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher said in a statement, "People like Mr. Mountford undermine the tax system and place additional burden on honest taxpayers, and IRS-CI will remain ever-vigilant to ensure people like him face justice."
Judge Nunley ordered that upon his release, Mountford will face a year of supervised release and must pay restitution amounting to $757,075.53. This figure corresponds to the contaminated funds deposited in Mountford’s personal accounts, carved out from the nearly $360,000 splurged on brand new cars and the shared loot of cash and gold bars with his accomplice.
