How Could You? Hall Of Shame-SW-Rakecia Matrese Brame
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Greensboro, NC, Former Social Worker Rakecia Matrese Brame “was indicted Oct. 28 on 33 total counts of identity theft, and wire fraud, aiding in tax fraud, according to federal court documents. She is accused of selling the personal identification of child abuse and neglect victims to Nothing But Taxes Inc. of Greensboro so clients there could claim the child abuse victims as dependents on tax returns.”
“She pleaded guilty Monday to one count of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of aiding in preparation of false tax returns. She will be sentenced May 16 and could get as long as 35 years in prison. She also faces a maximum penalty of $250,000 and must pay any additional restitution required, a plea agreement said.
Brame was a social worker responsible for “investigating claims of abuse and neglect against minors and disabled adults” when the crimes occurred, between February 2009 and February 2011, court documents say. At the time, Brame was a roommate with Jennifer Diane Bullock, an employee of Nothing But Taxes.
Bullock and other employees of Nothing But Taxes also are named in court documents as part of the investigation.
Brame was paid $200 to $300 by Bullock and other tax preparers for each false dependent’s information. Brame took Alamance County DSS laptops to the tax office to disseminate the information.”
”
In one case described in court documents, Brame used the identity of a child referred to DSS for investigation of potential abuse in February 2010. Brame investigated that case.
“Within a few days, Brame provided (the child’s) name, date of birth and Social Security number to Bullock for use as a false dependent,” the document states.
As a result of the fraudulent tax filing based on that information, a woman received a tax refund of $2,747 more than she was entitled to
A year later, Brame sold that child’s and a sibling’s information to another woman to claim as dependents.
Brame was hired by DSS as a social worker April 2, 2007. She voluntarily resigned her position to take an out-of-state job in March 2012, Alamance County DSS Director Susan Osborne said Friday.
The investigation into Brame’s criminal activity wasn’t initiated by DSS and began after her resignation, Osborne said.
Osborne released a brief statement Friday.
“The Alamance County Department of Social Services values and honors the privacy of its customers,” the statement said. “It is the policy of DSS to maintain strict confidentiality regarding our customers’ protected and sensitive information. DSS seeks to maintain appropriate measures to ensure the security of information. This includes periodic reviews to assess compliance with federal and state law, as well as training of staff. DSS takes seriously any breach of confidentiality.”
Brame’s case is being prosecuted federally by U.S. District Attorney Ripley Rand’s office. Rand is the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.”
“The IRS announced Monday that Rakecia Matrese Brame, plead guilty Friday to one count of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of aiding and assisting the preparation of a false tax return.
According to court documents, Brame worked as a social worker at the Alamance County Department of Social Services from February 2009 to February 2011. Brame was responsible for investigating claims of abuse and neglect against minors and disabled adults.
The DOJ says she had authorized access to extensive identifying information-including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of Alamance DSS clients. The department says this information included abuse victims,recipients of various state benefits, and witnesses in official investigations.
Court documents say Brame used her access of information contained in Alamance DSS records to illegally obtain the personal information of Alamance DSS clients and others. Documents also revealed she then sold the information to two return preparers at the Greensboro branch of Nothing But taxes, a tax return preparation firm. The two preparers then used the stolen identities to claim false dependents on tax returns they prepared for Nothing But Taxes clients, thereby claiming inflated tax refunds on the clients’ behalf.
Court documents reveal the two preparers, Saichelle McNeill and Jennifer Bullock paid Brame $200 to $300 per identity they purchased and Brame knowingly sold these identities to them to be used for tax fraud.
Brame faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge and a maximum of 3 years in prison for the charge of aiding and assisting the preparation of a false tax return. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory 2 year sentence.
The related case against Saichelle McNeill resulted in a guilty plea to federal criminal charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.
McNeill was sentenced to serve 27 months in federal prison on August 20, 2013.
Jennifer Bullock pleaded guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax charges on December 4, 2013 and is currently awaiting sentencing.
The Department of Justice says this case and related Nothing But Taxes cases were investigated by agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation.”
Former Greensboro Social Worker Pleads Guilty To Identity Theft, Tax Crimes [WFMY News 1/13/14]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Recent Comments