Karistha Johnson, 38, a tax preparer from Tyler, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for her involvement in a tax refund fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas. Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. made the announcement today, April 15, 2025.
Johnson pleaded guilty to making false and fraudulent statements on a tax return. U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle also ordered Johnson to pay $1,244,934 in restitution.
Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. stated, “The Eastern District of Texas is committed to prosecuting tax preparers who engage in return preparer fraud schemes. 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.”
Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, added, “Ms. Johnson, in her role as a tax preparer, took advantage of those seeking assistance by filing fraudulent returns. 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.”
Court information revealed that Johnson participated in a multi-year scheme, preparing and filing 610 false tax returns between 2017 and 2019, resulting in the fraudulent receipt of $1,244,934 in refunds.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.
