PENSACOLA WOMAN FACES FEDERAL CHARGES FOR FRAUDULENT TAX RETURN SCHEME

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - Khristine Harper, 41, of Pensacola, Florida has been indicted in federal court for 20 counts of aiding or assisting in preparation of false tax return and one count of identity theft. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.

Harper appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho on July 21, 2025, for her arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida.

If convicted, she faces up to 65 years' imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

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 Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.