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January 11, 2023 ¡ª The United States Attorney's Office announced that former Louisiana state senator and chair of state political party "A," Karen Carter Peterson, from New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance to 22-months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to a one-count bill of information charging her with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 2. Additionally, Judge Vance sentenced Peterson to serve a period of 3 years of supervised release, 600 hours of unpaid community service, restitution in the amount of $53,106.93, a fine of $115,000, with $94,250 due immediately and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Peterson was ordered to report to authorities to commence serving her prison sentence on March 6, 2023.

January 26, 2023 ¡ª Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced yesterday that George Martinez was sentenced to 94 months in prison. Martinez, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022, to 42 counts each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and six counts of money laundering. The Court ordered Martinez to pay $1,216,205 in restitution, and issued a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $689,797.

Jan. 17, 2025 ¡ª An eight-count indictment was unsealed today charging former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, her longtime romantic partner Andre Jones, and local businessmen David Trung Duong and Andy Hung Duong with bribery offenses, and charging Andy Duong with making false statements to government agents.

IR-2022-200, November 15, 2022 ¡ª The Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC) today issued its annual report for 2022, including recommendations to the IRS on new and continuing issues in tax administration.

Dec. 11, 2024 ¡ª Mariama Wilson and Terrance Hardiman both of Evansville, have each been sentenced for their roles in a years¡¯ long kickback scheme resulting in a $38,000 loss to taxpayers.

April 8, 2024 ¡ª The City of Atlanta¡¯s former chief financial officer (CFO), Jimmie ¡°Jim¡± A. Beard, pleaded guilty today to theft of government funds, which included the purchase and possession of two machine guns, and obstructing federal tax laws.

September 8, 2022 ¡ª Former City of Atlanta Director of Human Services, Mitzi L. Bickers, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for accepting approximately $3 million in bribe money to influence government contracts, money laundering, lying to the City of Atlanta to maintain her salary and cabinet-level position, and failing to disclose more than $600,000 in income on her federal tax return.

IR-2025-33, March 13, 2025 ¡ª The Internal Revenue Service issued a reminder today that in most cases retirees who turned 73 in 2024 must begin receiving payments from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), 401(k)s and similar workplace retirement plans by Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

April 25, 2025 ¡ª Former congressman George Anthony Devolder Santos was sentenced today by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert at the federal courthouse in Central Islip to 87 months in prison for committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of the sentence, Santos was ordered to pay restitution to his victims in the amount of $373,749.97 and $205,002.97 in forfeiture. Santos pleaded guilty in August 2024.

IR-2024-208, Aug. 13, 2024 ¡ª The Internal Revenue Service and the Security Summit partners today announced the availability of a new, updated Written Information Security Plan designed to help protect tax professionals against continuing threats from identity thieves and data breaches.