Ex-IRS agent charged with filing false returns, theft, obstructing federal investigation

SACRAMENTO, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury indicted a former Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation special agent with lying on tax returns, stealing from the government and destroying records during an investigation, charges which carry penalties as high as 48 years in jail, fines and probation.

Alena Aleykina, a Sacramento, Calif., certified public accountant was accused in an indictment filed Thursday of filing false individual tax returns on behalf of a trust, as well as lying to the Department of the Treasury for reimbursements and destroying evidence on a government computer.

The Tax Division of the U.S. Justice Department announced the indictment in a press release Thursday, filing a nine-count indictment alleging Aleykina filed false tax returns for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 by claiming false filing statutes, dependents, deductions and losses and tax returns on behalf of two trusts.

She is also accused of false returns for herself, family members, trusts and partnerships, as well as lying to investigators and destroying evidence, between 2008 and 2013.

"If convicted, Aleykina faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison on each count of filing a false tax return and corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the internal revenue laws, 10 years in prison for the charge of theft of government money and 20 years in prison for the destruction of evidence charge, as well as a period of supervised release and monetary penalties," the Justice Department said in the release.