"Queen of IRS" tax fraud sentenced to 21 years

[Thebadguy]

A mother of three, who taunted authorities to catch her as she stole about $20 million from the IRS, has been jailed for 21 years.

Rashia Wilson, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft earlier this year, admitted to stealing more than $3 million but the figure is believed to be much higher.

Tampa police were first alerted to the fraud in 2010 when they noticed a drop in drug dealing in the area.

As Wilson, who became known as the 'First Lady of tax fraud' was sentenced on Tuesday, she was denied the chance to hug her three children, aged between 2 and 12, good-bye, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

'She knew what she was doing was wrong. She reveled in the fact that it was wrong,' U.S. District Judge James. S. Moody Jr. said.

The 27-year-old, who also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, had boasted on Facebook that she was untouchable.

'I'm Rashia, the queen of IRS tax fraud,' the post stated. 'I'm a millionaire for the record, so if U think indicting me will B easy it won't, I promise you! U need more than black and white to hold me down N that's to da rat who went N told, as if 1st lady don't have da TPD under her spell. I run Tampa right now.'

A psychologist brought in to testify for the defense argued the Facebook post was a sign of Wilson's bi-polar disorder, which made her liable to brag.

Valerie McClain told the court that 'adolescent bragging' in Facebook posts is consistent with manic-phase behavior. Wilson had bi-polar diagnosed when she was 14.

Wilson's fraud was discovered during a two-year investigation called 'Operation Rain Maker', named in reference to all the money raining down on the suspects' mail boxes, according to ABC News.

The multi-agency investigation included Tampa Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Those involved in the tax fraud operation used stolen Social Security numbers to file returns, according to the Global Dispatch.

The scam meant that ordinary taxpayers had to wait for up to a year to receive their refunds.

Wilson, whose mother was addicted to cocaine when she was born, and whose father was in prison while she was growing up, came from a life of poverty to extreme wealth.

Although she still claimed food stamps during her fraud, she used the ill-gotten gains to fund a lavish lifestyle which included spending $30,000 on her son's first birthday, buying a $90,000 Audi and designer handbags and sunglasses.

Wilson also had a custom-designed necklace, spelling out her name in jewels, made for her, according to Fox News.

As well as finding designer goods at her home in Wimauma, police said the number of security cameras around the property had raised suspicions.

Wilson has been ordered to $3.1 million in restitution.

The amount reflects the estimated loss to the government at the time of her plea. The investigation later found the figure to be higher but the judge agreed to honor the plea agreement.

She will owe the restitution with co-defendant Maurice Larry, who has sentencing hearings due in August and September.

At the time of the investigation, 13 people were arrested for charges including identity theft, scheming to defraud and fraudulent use of credit cards.

Tampa police major Ken Morman told ABC last year that a decline in drug dealing suggested criminals had found a more lucrative business.

He said the suspects would use hotel rooms and rented houses to train recruits about how to commit the fraud.


Read more: Florida's 'First Lady' of tax refund fraud gets 21 years in prison after stealing as much as $20 million | Mail Online

She's a dumbass for bragging about it on Facebook. I think the funniest part of the article is the fact that the Tampa police thought that a drop in drug dealing was suspicious.







Put the quotation marks in wrong place in the title. Just ignore that.

 

[diggy]

Black people love to brag and boast, bi polarism will be the new excuse, she shoulda been silent frauding, but that tax fraud shyt is getting out of hand. I know many people that had their taxes filed before they even got their w2

 

[cleanface coney]

dumb ass bytch thats why hoes shouldnt be running shyt when it come to dat

her nikka shoulda had her on lock smh.... damn dis a dumb broad

i her hustle tho, get it how you live

 

[A.J.Soprano]

all u people who lied on those sketchers claims to get some money will meet her same fate





the "when they noticed a drop in drug dealing" line got me tho



Some old detective cac in his office was probably thinking to himself, "hmmm, these negros aren't killing eachother and selling crack as often as they normal do, this looks fishy"



thats so messed up when u think about it...



In this instance his racist hunch was right tho

 

[cleanface coney]

LOLOLOL at "Operation Rainmaker"

 

[diggy]

LOLOLOL at "Operation Rainmaker"

 

[Malta]

I would call her dumb, but at the end of the day she made $20 million, so she has to be smart on some level. I really don't understand why people who pull scams like this don't bolt, I guess greed and the want for more, but if I hit $2 million I'm Keyser Soze ghost in the wind status, just POOF vanish.

 

[Virtuous_Brotha]

Free her! the system

 

[Offthegrid]

Smh she snitched on her self all women do on fb ig n twitter but she was finessing jus couldnt be low key black females wit money love attention.alot of ppl are getting booked left and right off dis lick

 

[Lana Kane]

Can we let Lauryn out then....

 

[iamstr8fire]

How you think you are being the reach of the federal government is beyond me.

 

[Amy Traphouse]

Can we let Lauryn out then....

As long as she stops flaking on concerts

 

[Commander in Chiefin]

I would call her dumb, but at the end of the day she made $20 million, so she has to be smart on some level. I really don't understand why people who pull scams like this don't bolt, I guess greed and the want for more, but if I hit $2 million I'm Keyser Soze ghost in the wind status, just POOF vanish.

David Copperfield

 

[JasonSJackson]

21 years is too much

 

[Lana Kane]

As long as she stops flaking on concerts