Federal tax fraud prosecution expands to seven defendants

A federal tax refund prosecution originating in Idaho has expanded through a superseding indictment. The case involves allegations of a multistate conspiracy to obtain fraudulent refunds from the Internal Revenue Service using false individual and trust tax returns, alongside fictitious financial instruments.

The expanded indictment names seven defendants across several states, including Idaho, Illinois, Florida, California, and Georgia. While an earlier announcement named five individuals, the updated list includes Saule Moshkanova, Tiffany Nichols, and Stacey Rice, while omitting Brittany Plahm. The defendants named in the current indictment include Andrea and Kent Shannon, Monika Skinger, Sherita Chandler, Moshkanova, Nichols, and Rice.

Prosecutors allege the scheme, which took place during 2023 and 2024, sought more than $57 million in refunds, with over $8 million successfully obtained from the IRS. The inclusion of trust returns as a filing category highlights the use of both personal and trust-based documentation to support the alleged fraudulent claims.