Date: April 15, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
Tyler, TX ¡ª A Tyler tax preparer has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a tax refund fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Karistha Johnson pleaded guilty to making false and fraudulent statements on a tax return and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on April 15, 2025. Johnson was ordered to pay $1,244,934 in restitution.
¡°The Eastern District of Texas is committed to prosecuting tax preparers who engage in return preparer fraud schemes,¡± said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. ¡°Schemes like this threaten to disrupt the orderly administration of the income tax system for law-abiding taxpayers, and taxpayers ultimately end up paying the bill.¡±
¡°Ms. Johnson, in her role as a tax preparer, took advantage of those seeking assistance by filing fraudulent returns,¡± said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. ¡°By fabricating deductions and business expenses, she filed hundreds of false returns, resulting in more than $1.2 million in fraudulent refunds. The women and men of IRS-CI remain dedicated to safeguarding our tax system and ensuring that individuals who engage in fraudulent activities face the full consequences under the law.¡±
According to information presented in court, Johnson was involved in a multi-year return preparer fraud scheme involving the submission of tax returns containing false and fraudulent statements. Johnson prepared and filed 610 returns from 2017 through 2019 and received $1,244,934 in fraudulent refunds.
This case was investigated by the IRS-CI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.
IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attach¨¦ posts abroad.