TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA After a three-day trial, Tangela Lawson-Brown, 41, of Midway, Florida, was convicted yesterday of wire fraud, theft of government funds, possession of unauthorized access devices, and aggravated identity theft. The verdict was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Between October 2011 and December 2012, Lawson-Brown worked as a nurse at a Tallahassee nursing home. In January 2013, the Tallahassee Police Department seized items from Lawson-Browns vehicle after the arrest of her husband. These items included a notebook containing the personally identifiable information ("PII") of more than 150 people, including 26 patients at the nursing home where Lawson-Brown was previously employed.
Subsequent investigation by the Internal Revenue Service revealed that fraudulent 2011 income tax returns were filed using the PII of 105 persons listed in the notebook, including 24 of the nursing home patients. Over one million dollars in fraudulent claims were filed as part of the scheme. While the IRS detected many of the fraudulent returns, refunds totaling approximately $141,790 were disbursed.
During the trial, the government presented evidence that tax fraud proceeds were deposited into multiple bank accounts controlled by Lawson-Brown and that the fraud proceeds were used to pay Lawson-Browns mortgage, car repairs, and other personal expenses. Many of the identity theft victims were elderly patients in Lawson-Browns care. In several instances, fraudulent returns were filed within days of the patients arriving at the nursing home.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 4, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee. Lawson-Brown faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud counts, a maximum of 10 years in prison for each of the theft of government funds and possession of unauthorized access devices counts, and a consecutive 2 year sentence for aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Canova said: "This case illustrates the vulnerability of elderly and disabled persons. Relatives and other caregivers should be alert to unauthorized tax returns, bank accounts, credit cards, and financial transactions, and should immediately report identity theft crimes to law enforcement agencies."
This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Simpson prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nations principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorneys Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
--DOJ Northern District of Florida
Source: U.S. Secret Service