An Athens woman has been sentenced to federal prison after allegedly admitting to filing over $3.5 million in fraudulent tax returns.
As reported by WSB-TV, Jessica Crawford, 34, received an eight-year prison sentence followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aiding in the preparation of false income tax returns. Her plea came in November.
Prosecutors said Crawford, a tax preparer, was involved in a multi-state scheme tied to COVID-19 unemployment benefits. She reportedly aided individuals in submitting false information to claim Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits, often using fake business names. Investigators uncovered text messages between Crawford and the individuals she assisted.
In 2022, Channel 2 reported, an undercover agent is said to have visited Crawford’s tax office during an investigation. When the agent mentioned occasionally mowing his aunt’s lawn, Crawford falsely created a landscaping business for him and claimed a $19,373 loss without verifying any details. She then filed a fraudulent tax return, securing a $12,359 refund.
Crawford was also found to have received a share of the funds generated through the fraudulent unemployment claims.
