65-year-old Winter Springs woman pleads guilty to faking tax return, receiving $240,000 IRS tax refund

A Winter Springs woman is facing up to three years in prison after admitting to falsifying a tax return, pocketing a $240,000 refund from the United States Internal Revenue Service, and recruiting others into a nationwide fraud scheme.

Rebecca Cyphers pled guilty on Wednesday, June 1 to filing a false, 2013 amended income tax return with the IRS and receiving a $240,000 refund that she was not entitled to receive.

According to court documents and statements, Cyphers, who is 65 years old and lives in Winter Springs, participated in and helped facilitate a nationwide tax fraud scheme wherein individuals prepared and assisted in the filing of tax returns for scheme participants, such as Cyphers. The participants made false claims that banks and other financial institutions had withheld large amounts of income tax from them.

Records later showed that the financial institutions in question had not paid any income to or withheld any taxes from the individuals that were part of the scheme.

Cyphers admitted to filing a false, amended income tax return and receiving a refund of approximately $240,000. Furthermore, she confessed to obstructing the IRS’s efforts to recover the money by transferring funds into a trust and making a large cash withdrawal from the refund deposit.

Cyphers additionally admitted to helping others promote the tax fraud scheme and recruiting participants.

In March, the organizer of the fraud scheme, Iran Backstrom, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison. Mehef Bey, who was Backstrom’s second in command, was sentenced to eleven years in prison. A third individual involved in the scheme, Aaron Aqueron, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for recruiting clients and providing information to another co-conspirator for use in the preparation of false tax returns.

Cyphers is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24 and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, according to court records. She also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Most Popular

Man arrested in 2020 murder of Ocoee High football star

A 24-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the 2020 shooting death of an Ocoee High School football player.

Man steals nearly $3,000 in trading cards from Clermont Walmart, police say

Clermont police are looking for a man who allegedly stole nearly $3,000 worth of trading cards from a local Walmart last week.

Man faces murder charge after Orange County shooting victim dies in hospital

A 68-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder after a male victim he allegedly shot in Orange County on Monday morning died at a local hospital.

33-year-old woman missing out of Oviedo

Local authorities are asking the public for help to locate a 33-year-old woman who is missing out of Oviedo.

Toilet thief wanted by Clermont police

The Clermont Police Department is asking the public for help to identify a man wanted in connection with the theft of a toilet from a local home improvement store.

Walgreens to cut over 300 jobs as Orlando distribution center closes

Walgreens is permanently shutting down its distribution center in Orlando and laying off more than 300 employees at the facility.
Orlando
clear sky
58.1 ° F
60.9 °
53.7 °
92 %
1.3mph
0 %
Fri
77 °
Sat
80 °
Sun
83 °
Mon
86 °
Tue
78 °