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A Stillwell, Kan.-based tax preparer has admitted obtaining more than $2 million in income tax refunds by filing bogus returns in the names of his clients. Richard Drake, 60, pleaded guilty this week to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of theft of government funds.
He will serve 48 months in prison and pay $2,432,147 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Drake used his clients' names to file the tax returns and then deposited resulting refunds into accounts he controlled. As part of his plea, Drake admitted he used the identities of his clients without their knowledge.
