Maryland Woman Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Over $410,000 from the IRS

State of MD - A Maryland woman has been sentenced to prison for trying to steal more than $1.1 million from the IRS using false tax returns.

Kendra Scarborough, of Oxon Hill, was ordered to serve 12 months and one day behind bars.

Court documents show that between December 2019 and March 2020, Scarborough filed three false tax returns in the names of trusts she controlled. The returns asked for more than $1.1 million in refunds that the trusts were not owed.

The scheme led the IRS to send a refund of $412,000 to one of the trusts. Scarborough used that money to pay the mortgage on her home and other debts.

Scarborough pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds.

U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman ordered her to pay $410,117.44 in restitution to the IRS. The judge also ordered her to forfeit any remaining refund money still sitting in her bank account.

IRS Criminal Investigation handled the investigation. Trial Attorney Melissa Siskind of the Justice Department's Fraud Division prosecuted the case.