Living Out A Lie But Having The Time Of His Life

by Amanda Nix

It began four years ago in Florida where a prison guard began his daily routine of checking for contraband in the inmates’ cell when he found a bunch of papers. Not drugs or a weapon, but papers with several birthdates and social security numbers. What he had found turned out to be tax forms and a “how to” pamphlet. The guard turned the papers into his supervisor, not knowing they had just stumbled across a $1 million dollar tax scam.

Inmates in Munroe County Jail had been filing tax returns with fake names and fake jobs, using a remedy of only $5,000 each return to keep them under the radar.  Those involved were all conspirators passing around cheat sheets with how to fill out the complicated forms.

Surprisingly, this is not the first case of inmates faking tax returns. Federal officials say it’s been going on for decades. The best part is that these refund checks have been getting sent directly to the jail and into their hands.

Some inmates, who were homeless before doing their time, were unaware of the scheme. They would give away their social security number in hopes of receiving food. Their information was then used to gain more refund checks. Frustrations are rising and the IRS says they have to do an internal investigation even after the Florida investigators have finished theirs. 


Munroe County Sheriff Peryam said, "I can say for sure that if I make a mistake on my tax bill, I think somebody will be knocking on my door pretty quick. I don't think it will take 3 or 4 years."