Midland woman sentenced for wire and tax fraud

Midland—A Midland woman was sentenced in a federal court in Midland to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,251,416.67 in restitution for wire fraud and filing a false tax return.

According to court documents, while working as a secretary for Bridges Equipment, LTD, Tamara Dawn Allen, 49, fraudulently cashed her employer’s checks using the owner’s signature stamp and made electronic payments to her personal bank accounts from company accounts. The scheme amounted to a total loss of at least $868,770.60. Additionally, Allen underreported her income on her taxes over a four-year span, for a total amount of $553,390.00.

Allen pleaded guilty to counts one and 24 of a 31-count superseding indictment on May 12.

“The fraud perpetrated by this defendant, a long-time employee at a family-owned business, resulted in substantial losses and destroyed relationships,” U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas said. “I appreciate the work of our partners in investigating this case. Just as with violent crime, we will continue to vigorously prosecute all white collar and fraud cases in the Western District of Texas.”

“Ms. Allen took advantage of her position to personally enrich herself at the expense of her employer and their partners,” Douglas M. Goodwater, special agent in charge for the FBI El Paso Field Office, said. “The victims can have confidence that the defendant will be held accountable for the crimes she committed and sends a message to other fraudsters that their schemes and deception will not be tolerated in our community.”

“Allen spent years stealing from her employer, gaining wealth at everyone else’s expense, including law-abiding taxpayers,” Ramsey E. Covington, special agent in charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office, said. “The special agents and prosecutors rigorously documented every deceptive transaction, ensuring that the case against her was irrefutable. As experts in financial crimes, CI regularly partners with other law enforcement agencies to help ensure justice is served.”

The FBI and CI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mahoney prosecuted the case.