ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A woman has been charged in a multimillion-dollar tax fraud scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed the case against Reshonda Roberts on Tuesday.
Investigators said Roberts helped Tanya Fox, who was using stolen identities, to file bogus tax returns.
Fox was sentenced in 2014 to 20 years in federal prison.
A victim talked to Channel 9’s Jeff Deal about the lasting effects it has had on her life.
Melissa Zarou said she is a criminal justice major at the University of Central Florida, and chose that major mainly because she was victimized.
Zarou had to testify in 2014 in federal court against Fox, who was the ringleader.
The massive identity theft and IRS tax return fraud case in Central Florida, involved $5 million in fraudulent tax returns.
Federal prosecutors said Fox’s scheme affected 3,500 victims.
"I first found out in 2013, January of that year, when the FBI came to my house," Zarou said.
Zarou said the agent showed her two fake tax returns from 2009 and 2010, with her name, Social Security number and date of birth.
Zarou said during that time, she was a teenager living in New York, and she was not working.
"I thought it was the most vicious crime ever. I never thought it could be done to me. I’ve heard about other people's identities being stolen," Zarou said.
Many of the victims were teenagers whose identities were stolen from the Orange County Health Department.
Zarou said she doesn't know where they got her information.
Investigators said Roberts allowed Fox to have the fraudulently obtained IRS checks directly deposited into her account, and Roberts would get a cut of the money.
Zarou said she's worried about identity theft and has a special number she must file with the IRS when doing taxes.
Zarou said she is glad Roberts was caught.
"She's a scum. She's a scumbag for doing it," Zarou said.
Roberts was charged with theft of government funds, which carries up to 10 years in prison.
Roberts has agreed to make a plea, but the hearing has not been set yet.