Columbia man headed to prison for filing false tax returns on behalf of Bloods gang
Published: April 16, 2013

59 minutes ago

By NOELLE PHILLIPS — nophillips@thestate.com

COLUMBIA, SC — A Columbia man who prepared taxes on behalf of the Bloods street gang and received $1.2 million in fraudulent returns was sentenced Tuesday to more than five years in prison.

Daion Ali Bowers, 27, also must repay the government $1.2 million in restitution for refunds paid out as part of the fraud scheme. He earlier pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, said Assistant U.S. Attorney JD Rowell.

Bowers was not an accountant, Rowell said.

Bowers, along with Tashanda “Big Momma Blood” Parker, recruited people to give Bowers their personal information so he could file returns. Members of the Gangsta Killer Blood gang were among those who offered their information, Rowell said.

Bowers was not a member of the gang. Parker was a member of the Bloodettes, a female affiliate gang, and helped recruit people for the scheme, Rowell said.

Bowers filed the returns from a home computer. He would set up refunds to be distributed through pre-paid credit cards and then split the money with those who provided their personal information.

“He made quite a lot of money,” Rowell said.

Bowers filed more than 600 fraudulent returns in 2011, claiming $2.5 million in refunds. More than $1.2 million in refunds were paid out, according to prosecutors.

Parker pleaded guilty earlier this year to wire fraud conspiracy and racketeering conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.

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