CEDAR RAPDS – An Iowa woman has been charged with twelve counts of filing false claims for tax refunds, seven counts of theft of government property, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on March 3, 2015, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids against Gwendolyn Murray, 33, from Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that in 2012 and 2013, Murray, using other names, prepared and filed twelve fraudulent tax returns claiming tax refunds to which no one was entitled. The Indictment further alleges that she stole money from the Internal Revenue Service when she received refunds from seven of the fraudulent returns she filed. Finally, the Indictment alleges Murray stole the identities of two people by using their names, social security numbers, and signatures in furtherance of her theft of government property.
If convicted on all charges, Murray faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 134 years’ imprisonment, a fine, $2100 in special assessments, and a term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Murray appeared on March 3, 2015, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was released on bond. Murray’s next appearance for trial is set for May 4, 2015.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service.
