United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

EAST HARTFORD WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX FRAUD

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JANET SCOTT, age 45, of 282 Park Avenue in East Hartford, Connecticut, has pleaded guilty to one-count of an Indictment charging her with making false and fraudulent claims for income tax refunds. Senior United States District Judge Alfred V. Covello accepted SCOTT’s plea of guilty today in Hartford federal court.

In pleading guilty, SCOTT acknowledged that, for the years 1994 through 1998, 2000 and 2001, she filed income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, in her own name and in the names of her two sisters, to which she attached wage and tax withholding statements for a fictitious beauty salon known as Marie’s Salon. During the proceeding, SCOTT admitted that Marie’s Salon was not an actual business, that neither she nor her sisters received wages from Marie’s Salon, nor did Marie’s Salon pay employment taxes to the IRS during those years. SCOTT also admitted that she illegally claimed, and received, approximately $21,963 in tax refunds for those years.

SCOTT faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000 when she is sentenced on December 16, 2004. She is presently being held in state custody on unrelated charges.

This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Ronald S. Apter.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov