Customers Say Accused Tax Thief Pockets Refunds
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ARLINGTON (CBS11 NEWS) – Several customers said their tax refunds are missing after trusting North Texas tax preparer, Shambrika Burnley to handle their returns. CBS11 has uncovered that Burnley faced similar allegations last year.
"I was like, this is like a lifetime movie," said Keisha Gibson who went to Burnley at C & N Tax Group in Arlington to have her taxes done in January.
"She told me $7,000. Just a flat rate $7,000," said Gibson about the amount Burnley said she would receive this year.
Another customer named Michelle (who doesn't want her last name reported), was promised a similar amount from Burnley. "She told me I would get back $8,000," said Michelle, who was referred by a friend.
David Reichert has used C & N Tax Group for the last three years. But things changed when Reichert went to the company's Arlington location where Burnley was the manager.
"They've always been great, worked with me, until this year," said Reichert.
All three customers were told they could not receive direct deposits. Instead, the refunds would be loaded on pre-paid Green Dot cards and given to the clients. Reichert said his pre-paid card was supposed to be mailed to his home but it never showed up.
"I went to the office to get it, the envelope was ripped and taped back up," said Reichert.
Reichert said instead of his $5800 tax refund, the card had $7 on it.
"All the money was drained off it," said Reichert.
Reichert called Green Dot and the company told him the money was withdrawn at several ATM's.
"They took $800, $700, $300. It's crazy," said Reichert.
Michelle's refund never came either and she said Burnley stopped returning her calls and texts.
"I sat out in the parking lot for 6 hours and she never showed up. It's not like $300, it's my entire refund," said Michelle.
Gibson said she called the IRS when her return was a month late.
"That's when I found out about the dependents," said Gibson.
The IRS told her there were extra dependents and other mistakes on her return.
"She doesn't deserve a job, anywhere," said Gibson about Burnley.
Gibson is now working with the fraud department of the IRS to get her tax return straightened out.
Gibson, Reichert and Michelle are just three of numerous people who have complained about Burnley.
Dozens of customers have complained on the C & N Tax Group Facebook page. And the company's owner has taken notice.
"The main concern is that she's taking people's money, these people work hard for their money," said C & N Tax Group owner Paul Noumir.
Noumir said Burnely used a fake ID when he hired her. When he found out about the complaints, he fired Burnley, her employees and closed the office.
Noumir then filed a police report after he said Burnley broke back into the office, stole a laptop and the tax information of 200 customers.
"She's using her own system, her own computer, her own bank account and she's robbing people," said Noumir.
Noumir said he had no idea about her past.
"She uses the tax office name to do her scamming and then tries to pin it on the tax office," said Noumir.
Noumir has filed reports with the Arlington Police Department and the IRS.
According to documents obtained by CBS11, Burnley was arrested in 2013 for fraudulent possession of identifying documents. She was also arrested for debit card abuse in 2015 after police said she stole another woman's tax refund.
According to the arrest affidavit, the victim went to Burnley to have her taxes done in Duncanville. The victim was supposed to receive $4700 on a pre-paid card and instead received less than $900.
Police said surveillance video shows Burnley withdrawing the money off of the card. But Burnley's attorney, Henry Campbell, said the case is still going through the system and has not yet been filed in Dallas county.
CBS11's Cristin Severance called Burnley but her voicemail does not accept messages. Severance then went to Burnley's home and talked to a woman who wouldn't give her name. Burnley's attorney later identified the woman as Burnley's mother-in law.
"She doesn't [have the returns]. The IRS has to verify stuff, so that's what they have to do," said the woman, who then blamed the owner of C & N Tax Group.
Here's how here conversation with Severance went:
Woman: Paul does.
Cristin: Paul has the returns?
Woman: Yes.
Cristin: Why would they say she does?
Woman: Because they didn't do the research on it themselves.
The woman then pointed the finger at a lack of research by CBS11.
Woman: I'm not like all these all other people, saying this and that and not researching it.
Cristin: I've done a lot of research, here, look through these police reports that say she did she did this in 2013 and 2015.
The woman then called Burnley.
Severance asked if she would put Burnley on speaker phone.
Woman: I'm not tacky to put everyone in her business like that.
Cristin: These people need their money so I'm putting her business out there.
The woman then left.
Campbell said his client denies all allegations, but that doesn't help her alleged victims.
"She's just going to keep doing it, to everybody," said Reichart.
IRS Warning
The Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers to stay on the lookout for unscrupulous return preparers.
"Choose your tax return preparer carefully because you entrust them with your private financial information that needs to be protected," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "Most preparers provide high-quality service but we run across cases each year where unscrupulous preparers steal from their clients and misfile their taxes."
According to the IRS, illegal scams can lead to significant penalties and interest and possible criminal prosecution. IRS Criminal Investigation works closely with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to shut down scams and prosecute the criminals behind them.
"IRS Criminal Investigation advises taxpayers to take care when choosing a tax return preparer as you're giving this person access to important personal information," said R. Damon Rowe, Special Agent in Charge, Dallas Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. The Dallas Field office covers Northern and Eastern Texas and the entire state of Oklahoma. "IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to vigorously pursue those who unjustly enrich themselves by preparing false claims for refunds."
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