A federal grand jury has indicted four family members from Texas and Mississippi for allegedly conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns seeking millions of dollars in refunds.
The indictment, unsealed yesterday, charges David Hunt, age unknown, of Arlington, Texas; his twin sons Brandon and Baylon Hunt, both of Arlington; and their half-brother Corey Burt, of Mississippi.
According to the indictment, the family allegedly filed false tax returns in the name of supposed trusts in 2016, claiming over $8.5 million in refunds to which they were not entitled. Brandon Hunt also allegedly filed a fraudulent return in his name. The defendants reportedly got more than $1 million from the IRS as a result of their fraudulent returns.
The IRS also accuses Brandon and Baylon Hunt of submitting fake documents, including fabricated financial instruments and altered money orders. According to the accusation, they distributed the proceeds by moving monies among themselves and used the refunds to buy luxury goods, cryptocurrency, and real estate.
Each defendant faces allegations of conspiracy and aiding and abetting in the preparation of fake tax returns. If found guilty, they may face up to five years in prison for conspiracy and three years on each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return. In addition, they may face supervised release, reparations, and monetary penalties.
The statement was made by Karen E. Kelly, who is the Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal at the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Nancy Larson, who is the Acting U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Texas. The IRS Criminal Investigation is in charge of the case, which is being prosecuted by Tax Division Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind and Daniel Lipkowitz, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas.
An indictment is only an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.