California man pleads guilty to defrauding IRS of nearly $900,000

Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A California man pleaded guilty Thursday to defrauding the IRS of nearly $900,000 in taxes.

Richard Jason Mountford pleaded guilty Thursday to defrauding the Internal Revenue Service in an elaborate scheme spanning several years. According to court documents, from 2016-2020, Mountford and unnamed accomplices submitted false individual income tax returns seeking refunds to which they were not entitled.

The two filed income tax returns in their own names, as well as in the names of two other unwitting people, that falsely reported they were employed by and received wages from a company, had federal taxes withheld from those wages, and fraudulently claimed a refund was due, according to court documents.

Most of the returns filed also fraudulently reported alimony payments to increase the refund amount.

Mountford and his accomplice cashed out with $873,723.53 in unwarranted refunds from the IRS. Mountford deposited $757,075.53 into his own bank account and spent $360,000 on new cars, documents said. His co-conspirator received about $170,000 in cash and gold bars for his contribution to the scheme.

Mountford is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.