'Queen of Tax Fraud' locked up for 21 years

TAMPA — The self-proclaimed “Queen of Tax Fraud,” Rashia T. Wilson, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for defrauding the government of more than $3.1 million.

Officials called the crime “one of the worst tax fraud cases in the Tampa Bay area,” in a news release.

On Tuesday, a federal judge sentenced Wilson, 26, on charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and being a felon in possession of a firearm. She was also ordered to forfeit $2.2 million.

Wilson and Maurice J. Larry defrauded the Internal Revenue Service between 2009 and 2012 by filing bogus returns to obtain several million dollars, says the release.

They bought expensive items, including a $90,000 Audi, and Wilson spent $30,000 on her daughter's first birthday party.

“These crimes victimize the most venerable of our fellow citizens; the elderly, our youth and family members of the deceased. James Robnett, special agent in charge of the IRS investigation, says in a news release.

Federal agents found thousands of names and social security numbers in ledgers and in other records at Wilson's Wimauma home and Larry's storage unit. They also found reloadable debit cards linked to fraudulently filed tax returns.

Wilson agreed to forfeit the 2013 Audi, jewelry and high-dollar designer sunglasses and handbags.

She plans to appeal the sentence, court records show.

Her attorney had argued Wilson should receive a reduced sentence due to extenuating circumstances, court records show. She was born to a cocaine addict and her father, who abandoned the family, is imprisoned on a sexual offense.

Wilson has lived on her own since she was 12. At 14, she became a mother for the first time and was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She has never received medication for the illness and instead self-medicated with street drugs. She dropped out of school in seventh grade after failing both sixth and seventh grade.

Larry will be sentenced Aug. 6.