Finance and Administration Cabinet
Department of Revenue investigation uncovers refund fraud scheme

FRANKFORT, Ky.—Finance and Administration Cabinet Secretary Jonathan Miller and Department of Revenue Commissioner Bill Cox today announced that a Department of Revenue investigation has resulted in 46 charges against a Western Kentucky couple in an individual income tax refund scheme.

Jessie R. Moss and his wife Heather D. Moss of Russellville, Kentucky, were sentenced yesterday in Logan Circuit Court on 23 charges each of willfully preparing false Kentucky income tax returns. Each charge against them is a Class D felony, punishable by one to five years imprisonment. 

Under plea agreements, the Moss’ pleaded guilty and were given pretrial diversion with five years probation, with Heather D. Moss serving a required 90 days because of a prior criminal offense. The Moss’ are jointly responsible for paying restitution of $46,000 to the commonwealth.

The Moss’ were indicted by the Logan County Grand Jury August 7, 2007 on these charges.  

Three other individuals who had lesser roles in the scheme, Jesse M. Driskill and Bradley B. Bowers, both of Hopkinsville, and Britt A. Orr, Russellville, were previously indicted and given pretrial diversion with five years probation as a result of their guilty pleas.

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