Cedar Rapids woman charged with tax fraud

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids woman was charged in federal court this week with 21 counts of tax fraud stemming from filing false tax returns. Gwendolyn Murray, 33, was charged Tuesday in U.S. District Court with 12 counts of filing false claims for tax refunds, seven counts of theft of government property and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

Murray was released on bond and her trial is set May 4.

According to the indictment, Murray prepared and filed 12 tax returns using other names to claim fraudulent tax refunds in 2012 and 2013. She received refunds from seven of the fraudulent returns she filed.

Murray stole the identities of two people by using their names, Social Security numbers and signatures in her theft of government property, according to the indictment. The stolen identities were used for tax year 2008.

Included in the indictment is a list of 12 tax refund claims that range from over $3,000 to over $11,000. There also is a list of seven tax refunds she actually received from 2008 to 2012 for a total of $43,257.

If convicted on all charges, Murray faces two to 11 years in federal prison, a fine and a term of supervised release following any prison time.