Fraud Scheme Targets SBA and IRS in Philadelphia

Tenia A. Thompson, 51, was arrested and charged with 17 counts of wire fraud and 49 counts of aiding the filing of a false tax return in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The indictment alleges that Thompson, who operated a tax preparation business, prepared false tax returns for over 100 clients between April 2020 and June 2024. Through this scheme, Thompson allegedly helped clients obtain COVID-19 disaster-related loans and tax benefits to which they were not entitled, generating at least $12 million in fraudulent loan proceeds and $5 million in fraudulent tax benefits.

The fraud scheme targeted both the Small Business Administration and the Internal Revenue Service, exploiting federal disaster relief and tax programs. The indictment details how Thompson charged clients exorbitant fees after fraudulently obtaining these government benefits for them. The scale of the alleged fraud involves tens of millions of dollars in attempted tax benefits.