Six people, including a former University of Alabama basketball star and a Mobile tax business owner, have been indicted for their roles in a fraud scheme that sought $177 million in fraudulent federal tax refunds. According to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday, the group used a Mobile-based tax preparation service to file thousands of returns featuring bogus deductions between 2021 and 2024.
This wasn’t a few clerical errors or aggressive accounting. As detailed in the indictment and reported by WALA, the defendants filed more than 9,000 fraudulent returns. While they asked for $177 million, the IRS actually issued approximately $81 million in refunds before the scheme was halted.
The Mechanics of the $177 Million Claim
The operation centered on JB Accounting Tax Service LLC, located on Broad Street in Mobile. The business was owned and operated by 47-year-old Jennifer Beverly, who now faces 63 counts of wire fraud in addition to conspiracy charges, according to records from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
To inflate the refund amounts, the group didn’t just guess; they targeted specific, high-value tax credits and deductions. Prosecutors allege the defendants improperly claimed:
- COVID-19 related credits
- Fuel tax credits
- Education credits
- Estimated tax payments and credit repayments
- False Schedule A, Schedule C, and Schedule 3 statements
Winston and Beverly Staff Face Wire Fraud Charges
Winston is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. His legal troubles extend beyond this specific scheme; according to WALA, Winston also faces an unrelated federal fraud charge involving stolen Treasury checks.
The conspiracy involved a coordinated effort among Beverly’s staff. The other employees named in the indictment include:
| Defendant | Age | Wire Fraud Counts |
|---|---|---|
| Jadasha Bowman | 28 | 11 |
| Solida Lucille Green | 36 | 11 |
| Paris Lovett (aka Paris Johnson) | 30 | 11 |
The federal government is not just seeking prison time. The indictment includes a forfeiture notice for assets obtained through the fraud, which includes a money judgment and 12 real properties.
A Breach of Public Trust
The investigation was a joint effort involving the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the FBI, and the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) division.
“Tax return preparers are entrusted with sensitive financial information and have a responsibility to uphold the integrity of our nation’s tax system, not exploit it for personal financial gain,” said Maisha Horton, acting special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Atlanta Field Office.
The Legal Stakes Moving Forward
The defendants are now awaiting court dates. The stakes are exceptionally high; if convicted, each individual faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. The case involves charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against Beverly and her employees for allegedly submitting fraudulent tax returns to the Treasury.
For the residents of Mobile and the broader Alabama community, this case involves a tax preparation service that allegedly used bogus deductions to seek millions in fraudulent refunds.
