Atlanta Tax Consultant Guilty Of Defrauding The Kentucky Department Of Revenue And Signature Healthcare

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – An Atlanta, Georgia tax consultant pleaded guilty in United States District Court this week, before United States Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay, to mail fraud and money laundering for devising a scheme to defraud the Kentucky Department of Revenue and his client Signature Healthcare, announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.

Todd Griffin, 46, was a tax credit consultant for a company located in Atlanta, Georgia. Between April of 2013, and June of 2014, Griffin fraudulently obtained $499,320 in state tax credits for his client Signature Healthcare (SHC) from the Kentucky Department of Revenue (KDOR). In return for securing the fraudulent tax credits, SHC compensated Griffin with commissions totaling $46,155. Griffin admits that he attempted to conceal his fraud from SHC, to continue to receive their commission and business, by making payments totaling $242,939.92 to KDOR, from his employer’s bank account, using funds derived from the scheme.

According to the plea agreement, Griffin submitted fraudulent documents to SHC to make it appear that the KDOR had approved certifications for eligibility for a tax credit program. Griffin then obtained state tax credits based on the fraudulent documents. The KDOR disallowed the credits and contacted Griffin, who had power of attorney for SHC and paid the disallowed tax credits in order to conceal the fraud.

According to the terms of the plea agreement, Griffin will pay restitution of $46,155 to SHC. At sentencing, the United States will recommend a sentence of 27-33 months in prison. Sentencing is scheduled before Chief Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr., on October 2, 2017 in Louisville.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Judd and is being investigated by the Kentucky Department of Revenue, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Internal Revenue Service, Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).