Cincinnati man pleads guilty in IRS tax refund fraud case

CINCINNATI - A Cincinnati man faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after pleading guilty to filing false claims on his federal taxes.

Officials said 33-year-old Dione Howard entered the plea Wednesday.

Carter Stewart, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio said Howard pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false claims for federal income tax refunds with the Internal Revenue Service and one count of unlawful use of a means of identification.

According to court documents, between January 2012 and April 2012, Howard purchased 18 names, social security numbers and dates of birth from a fellow conspirator for $3,500.

Officials said Howard used that information to file at least nine false claims with the IRS for tax refunds.

The documents state Howard tried to get the refunds deposited on pre-paid debit cards but instead got U.S. Treasury checks.

In addition to that scheme, officials said Howard kept a prepaid debit card in the name of another individual that was mailed to his home.

The total loss to the IRS came out to $30,129.

Howard and four others were charged in connection to the case in January 2013.

Officials said 33-year-old Marnay Love pleaded guilty on March 6 to one count of conspiracy to file false claims for federal income tax refunds.

Charges against the other three are pending.