IRS Employee Stole $326,000 through Identity Theft

Front Page Mag – by Daniel Greenfield 

The Treasury release doesn’t make it clear whether Demetria Brown obtained the information she used through her job at the IRS. But she certainly got the information she needed about how the IRS works from her time there.

A News 4 investigation has exposed a woman accused of stealing taxpayer information by using her position as an employee at the St. Louis IRS branch.

News 4’s Chris Nagus traveled down to Birmingham, Alabama, in search of Demetria Brown who was accused of filing $326,000 worth of bogus tax returns. In 2012, the IRS paid out $4 billion worth of phony returns, which ultimately screws up the lives of hard working people like Lenora Walker.

Walker said her identity has been stolen twice.

“Somebody has used my social security number the last two years,” Walker said, “They keep telling me they don’t have the information about who it is.”

Taxpayers might assume it is some anonymous internet thief, but in the case of Demetria Brown, the theft comes from inside the IRS.

The Treasury release has more details on the thefts of Demetria Brown.

Brown obtained the personal identifiers of individuals (including names, Social Security Numbers, and dates of birth) without their consent or knowledge and completed U.S. Individual Tax Returns and Missouri State Tax Returns with the information.

She opened nominee bank accounts with at least six financial institutions in five different States. She used the routing number, account number, and debit card number on the fraudulent returns to direct payment or credit to accounts she controlled. Through her scheme, Brown unlawfully acquired approximately $326,260 ($211,474 from the IRS and $114,786 from the MDOR).

Demetria’s case is unfortunately not unique among IRS employees.

Internal Revenue Service Employee Joy Fox Indicted in Identity Theft Scheme

On July 18, 2013, in the Eastern District of Kentucky, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employee Joy Fox was indicted for fraud and related activity in connection with computers, aggravated identity theft, mail fraud, and conspiracy to file false claim.

According to court documents, as part of her duties with the IRS, Fox had access to an IRS computer system which maintains taxpayer information, including names, Social Security Numbers, and dates of birth of taxpayers. On dates between January 2013 and March 2013, Fox and a co-conspirator, Patrick Sharpe, carried out a scheme to defraud and obtain money by means of false pretense. As part of the plan, Sharpe requested that Fox provide identifying information on individuals 65 years of age or older who were entitled to receive Social Security benefits. Fox exceeded her authorized access to the IRS computer system and improperly, without authority, obtained the personal identifying information of at least eight individuals. This information was provided to Sharpe for use in the scheme

Internal Revenue Service Employee Sentenced for Structuring Drug Proceeds

On October 15, 2013, in the Eastern District of California, Catatea James was sentenced for aiding and abetting in the structuring of funds.  James pled guilty to the offense on July 16, 2013.

According to court documents, James knowingly and intentionally aided and abetted in the structuring of approximately $113,088 in drug proceeds at the direction of her half-brother and co-defendant, Joseph Gable. James allowed Gable to deposit and withdraw structured funds through her bank account, even though she suspected the money represented drug proceeds. On one occasion, James provided her bank account number to one of Gable’s drug customers in Alabama via text message.

Former Internal Revenue Service Employee Ordered to Pay Restitution for Theft of National Treasury Employees Union Funds

According to court documents, from approximately June 2005 until April 2010, Brown served as the Treasurer for NTEU Chapter 67 (NTEU-67). Brown was employed by the IRS in Ogden, Utah, at all times relative to the charges. NTEU-67 is an independent Federal sector union representing employees of the Treasury Department, and receives Federal funding and subsidies from the IRS. IRS employees complete NTEU-67 duties while on official IRS work time and are paid with IRS funds.

Brown’s responsibilities as the Treasurer for NTEU-67 included overseeing union dues and funds, balancing accounts, submitting and writing checks, and paying for authorized travel, all on behalf of NTEU-67. By virtue of her position as Treasurer, Brown had access to two NTEU bank accounts that were to be used solely for NTEU expenses and purposes. Brown embezzled money from NTEU-67 by using its banking accounts, as well as check and debit cards she obtained from the NTEU-67 accounts, for her personal use and benefit. From approximately January 2009 through April 2010, Brown made unauthorized cash withdrawals from the accounts, issued unauthorized checks, and made personal purchases with debit cards.

IRS Tax Compliance Officer Ceil Love Pleads Guilty to Disclosure of Tax Information

On July 11, 2013, in the Northern District of Georgia, IRS employee Ceil Love pled guilty to a Criminal Information, after being charged with knowingly and willingly disclosing to an unauthorized party tax return and return information collected by the Department of the Treasury

13 Current and Former IRS Employees Arrested for Concealing Material

Thirteen current and former IRS employees were arrested in the Western District of Tennessee on April 17, 2013, for concealing material information and making false statements.

According to indictments filed in March 2013, the individuals were charged with concealing material information and making false statements related to obtaining Government benefits. All 13, individually charged in separate indictments, were alleged to have concealed material information and falsely stated that they were unemployed while applying for or recertifying to obtain unemployment payments. However, at all times relevant to the indictments, the individuals were employed by the IRS.

But of course none of Obama’s tax thugs who targeted his political opponents have been indicted.

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Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is a New York writer focusing on radical Islam. He is completing a book on the international challenges America faces in the 21st century.

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