A Fort Worth jury has found four members of a Texas family guilty in a tax refund fraud scheme that attempted to swindle over $8.5 million from the U.S. Treasury. This verdict comes as a significant blow to the defendants, whom the court has held responsible for their criminal endeavors.
David Hunt, along with his twin sons Brandon and Baylon Hunt from Arlington, Texas, and their half-brother Corey Burt, previously from Long Beach, Mississippi, were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns for trusts they claimed to control. In addition to conspiracy charges, David, Brandon Hunt, and Corey Burt were also convicted on multiple counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of these bogus returns. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, the family managed to pocket over $1.7 million before law enforcement intervened.
Aside from the criminal charges, the family's opulent spending has come to light. Court records reveal that they splurged on luxury goods, a Cadillac Escalade, cryptocurrency purchases, and even a house in Mississippi. These acquisitions, funded by illicit means, underscore the severity of the family's abuse of the tax system.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould commented on the case's conclusion, "Fraudulent tax schemes such as this rob the federal fisc and the American taxpayers." In his statement, per the Department of Justice, Raybould applauded the coordinated efforts of the IRS-CI, the Tax Section of the DOJ's Criminal Division, and his office for bringing the individuals to justice. Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of IRS Criminal Investigation in Dallas also made it clear that such fraudulent behavior would be met with serious legal repercussions and emphasized his agency's commitment to maintaining the integrity of the tax system.
Sentencing is on the docket for March 26, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, where the defendants could face stiff prison sentences and substantial monetary penalties. This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service in capturing three defendants who fled during the trial. The prosecution was handled by Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section, together with Assistant United States Attorney Mark McDonald from the Northern District of Texas.
