Illinois woman gets 27 months for $4.6 million IRS tax refund fraud scheme

An Illinois woman was sentenced this week to 27 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain tax refunds by submitting false returns and fictitious financial instruments to the IRS, the Justice Department announced.

“Monika Skinger engaged in a wide-ranging tax fraud scheme that flooded the IRS with fictitious financial instruments, including fraudulent checks,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Skinger attempted to take millions in refunds she had no right to receive. As we did in this case, the Department of Justice will continue to unmask fraudulent actors and swiftly bring them to justice.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Skinger conspired with others to submit false individual and trust tax returns claiming millions of dollars in refunds to which they were not entitled. To induce the IRS to accept the false claims, Skinger personally submitted at least 16 fictitious financial instruments — including checks, money orders and payment vouchers — on behalf of herself and others.

She also filed at least four false individual income tax returns for herself and at least two false trust tax returns, according to the Justice Department. In total, Skinger sought $4.6 million in refunds from the IRS and received more than $1.2 million in fraudulent proceeds.

Skinger pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amanda Brailsford for the District of Idaho ordered her to serve three years of supervised release and pay $303,672.44 in restitution to the United States.

McDonald and U.S. Attorney Bart Davis for the District of Idaho announced the sentence. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney David F. Scollan of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell for the District of Idaho prosecuted the case.