Idaho couple, five others charged in $57 million IRS tax fraud scheme

A superseding indictment has been unsealed charging two Idaho residents and five people from other states in connection with an alleged $57 million tax fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced.

According to the indictment, Andrea and Kent Shannon of Kuna, Idaho, along with Monika Skinger of Chicago; Sherita Chandler of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Saule Moshkanova of Roseville, California; Tiffany Nichols of Suwanee, Georgia; and Stacey Rice of Manteca, California, conspired with others to commit wire fraud between 2023 and 2024. Prosecutors allege the group prepared and submitted false individual and trust tax returns and fictitious financial instruments to the IRS, fraudulently claiming more than $57 million in refunds. The conspirators allegedly received more than $8 million from the IRS.

Moshkanova, Nichols and Rice were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, prosecutors said. Andrea and Kent Shannon, Skinger and Chandler had previously been charged with the same offense, according to the Justice Department. The release says the Shannons were also charged with multiple acts of wire fraud, making false claims against the United States and engaging in money laundering by using fraudulently obtained refunds to purchase personal property, including luxury cars. However, the release’s penalties section identifies only Kent Shannon as facing up to 10 years in prison on the money-laundering charge.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division said the defendants allegedly filed more than 100 fictitious returns and ultimately received more than $8 million in taxpayer funds.

“The Fraud Division will continue working vigorously to investigate and prosecute tax fraud schemes like these across the country,” McDonald said. “Fraudsters should never be allowed to rip off the United States of America.”

If convicted, all seven defendants face a maximum of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge, according to the Justice Department. Andrea and Kent Shannon face up to an additional 20 years for each wire fraud count and up to five years for each false claims count.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.