Date: April 15, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
Tyler, TX — A Tyler tax preparer has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a tax refund fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Karistha Johnson pleaded guilty to making false and fraudulent statements on a tax return and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on April 15, 2025. Johnson was ordered to pay $1,244,934 in restitution.
“The Eastern District of Texas is committed to prosecuting tax preparers who engage in return preparer fraud schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “Schemes like this threaten to disrupt the orderly administration of the income tax system for law-abiding taxpayers, and taxpayers ultimately end up paying the bill.”
“Ms. Johnson, in her role as a tax preparer, took advantage of those seeking assistance by filing fraudulent returns,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. “By fabricating deductions and business expenses, she filed hundreds of false returns, resulting in more than $1.2 million in fraudulent refunds. The women and men of IRS-CI remain dedicated to safeguarding our tax system and ensuring that individuals who engage in fraudulent activities face the full consequences under the law.”
According to information presented in court, Johnson was involved in a multi-year return preparer fraud scheme involving the submission of tax returns containing false and fraudulent statements. Johnson prepared and filed 610 returns from 2017 through 2019 and received $1,244,934 in fraudulent refunds.
This case was investigated by the IRS-CI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.
IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad.