Tallahassee Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for False Tax Filing Scheme

Tallahassee, Florida - Jonquaris Richardson, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for making false claims to the Internal Revenue Service. This investigation is part of the Trump Administration's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Tax fraud schemes, like the one executed by this defendant, victimize all American taxpayers by stealing from the federal government. My office and the entire Department of Justice are laser-focused on vindicating the interests of American taxpayers by holding the fraudsters exploiting our government accountable, and putting an end to the fraud, waste, and abuse that drains precious resources from our system."

Between September 17, 2022, and September 1, 2023, the defendant filed 46 false claims with the Internal Revenue Service seeking Employee Retention Credit and Sick Family Leave Credits intended to reduce the tax burdens of small businesses and reimbursement for wages paid to employees who could not work during the pandemic. The defendant fraudulently claimed he employed individuals as the owner of two entities, A+ Garage Service, Inc. and A+ Garage Services LLC, which purportedly provided garage door installation and service. As a result of his filing fraudulent Employer's Quarterly Tax Returns and Adjusted Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return or Claim for Refunds, the defendant sought refunds totaling $4,326,885 and ultimately received six United States Treasury checks totaling $227,874 in fraudulent refunds.

"Pandemic relief programs were designed to help businesses facing legitimate hardships, not to enrich individuals through fraud," said Charles Miller, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. "IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to investigating those who exploit the tax system and government programs for personal gain."

The sentence was the result of an investigation by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ("Fraud Division"). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's 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 FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.