Andover IRS Worker Sentenced To Year In Prison For False Returns

ANDOVER, MA — A former employee of Andover's IRS Service Center was sentenced to a year in prison Thursday for preparing over 400 false tax returns.

Jennifer Beth True, 44, of Lawrence pleaded guilty in Sept. to four counts of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return and four counts of filing a fraudulent tax return by an employee of the United States.

She was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, three years supervised release and a $1,000 fine. She was also ordered to pay $689 in restitution to victims and $1,056,781 in restitution to the IRS.

True worked at the IRS for over 22 years. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, she filed over 500 tax returns for herself and others from 2012 to 2018, in violation of IRS rules prohibiting employees from "engaging in the preparation of tax returns for compensation, gift, or favor."

True admitted to preparing or assisting with and filing at least 70 false income tax returns.

The returns included false items such as individual retirement account deductions, medical expenses, unreimbursed business expenses, tax preparation fees and child and dependent care credits.

"As a result of the false deductions claimed on the returns, the tax obligations of True and those individuals whose false returns she prepared was reduced," the U.S. attorney's office said.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.