A Galloway Township woman who admitted to using false information to increase her clients’ tax refunds and filing her own false tax returns was sentenced to 366 days in federal prison.
Michele Griffin, 42, previously pleaded guilty to indictment charging her with aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false income tax return. She admitted causing a total tax loss of $135,000.
Griffin prepared multiple fraudulent tax returns on behalf of her clients by falsifying their education expenses, dependent-care expenses, business income, dependent information and unemployment income, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
She prepared 19 false tax returns on behalf of six clients for tax years 2013 through 2016. She also filed three false tax returns for herself for tax years 2013 through 2015.
In addition to the prison term, Griffin will have one year of supervision upon her release, and must pay restitution of $135,063.
NOTE: Federal mugshots are not made public and pictures cannot be taken in federal court.
