Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud
A Columbia woman pleaded guilty Thursday to filing a false federal tax return in order to claim refund based on another person’s return.Authorities say 34-year-old Sherhonda Washington filed 53 false returns and refund claims during the 2008 and 2009 tax returns. She filed those returns in the names of people who lived in the St. Louis area.In those years, Washington claimed a total of $229,820 in fraudulent tax refunds. The U.S. government lost $68,317 for claims paid to Washington. Court documents state she prepared and electronically filed returns for other individuals based upon fraudulent W-2 information.She faces up to five years in prison and/or up to $250,000 in fines for her guilty plea to one felony count of filing a false claim. Sentencing has been set for May 24.
