IRS employee will go to prison for stealing identities of taxpayers who called in for help

ATLANTA, GA – An employee of the Internal Revenue Service who took calls from taxpayers who needed help but instead stole their identities to create fake tax returns and steal their money will go to prison.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak for the Northern District of Georgia announced that an Atlanta, Georgia resident pleaded guilty Thursday, August 9 to one count of aggravated identity theft for her role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme.

According to documents and information presented in court, Stephanie Parker worked for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a Contact Representative in Atlanta, Georgia. Between September 2012 and March 2013, taxpayers called into the IRS for assistance and Parker handled the taxpayers’ inquiries. During the calls, Parker obtained the taxpayers’ Social Security numbers and addresses. On at least five occasions, Parker used the taxpayers’ personal information to electronically file fraudulent tax returns in their names without their authorization. Parker directed the fraudulent tax refunds to bank accounts controlled by her friends. Parker, in turn, had the money withdrawn from at least one of those accounts and deposited a portion of the money into her own bank account and used it for personal expenses.

Parker faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.