Two more plead guilty in multidefendant fraud scheme

Two co-defendants pleaded guilty in recent days to their roles in a tax fraud scheme that involved at least 20 others. Guilty pleas now have been entered by 11 people.

Claudia Dorsey and Amanda Leigh Boyd, both 33 and of Springfield, became the 10th and 11th to plead guilty to their roles in a scheme that claimed nearly $340,000 in fraudulent income tax refunds from the IRS, according to a news release from Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

The leader of the scheme, Cherie Christine Dupuis, 43, of Springfield, pleaded guilty in July to making and directing others to create false tax returns between February 2009 and March 2012. Of the $340,630 claimed, roughly $336,839 was false and the IRS lost $284,169.

In her guilty plea, Boyd admitted she helped Dupuis by filing false income tax returns with the IRS 2009-11. Claiming tax refunds for which she was not entitled, Boyd provided her personal information to Dupuis for the scheme, which resulted in Boyd receiving $24,409 in fraudulent income tax returns that she split with Dupuis, according to the release.

Dorsey admitted to helping Dupuis in tax years 2009-11. Dorsey allows Dupuis to use her laptop and address in the creation of false tax returns. Dorsey fraudulently received $27,791 through the scheme. She also prepared a return for another person that resulted in a false refund of $10,237 in 2011, according to a separate release.

Under federal statutes, Boyd could face up to 15 years in federal prison without parole, a $750,000 fine and an order of restitution. Dupuis could receive 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and a restitution order, according to the releases.