Mobile woman sentenced to more than one year in prison for tax fraud

Date: June 23, 2026

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

Mobile, AL – Aylesha Maria Allen of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced on June 22, 2026, to one year and one day in federal prison for filing fraudulent tax returns.

According to court documents, Allen prepared and assisted in preparing at least 21 false tax returns that included fraudulent Sick and Family Leave Credits related to the COVID-19 pandemic, false Schedule C business losses, and false Fuel Tax Credits. Internal Revenue Service records show that Allen’s conduct resulted in a tax loss of $371,412.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Allen to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Allen was also ordered to pay $371,412 in restitution.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division investigates and prosecutes individuals who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government initiative chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance that seeks to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse in federal benefit programs.

“Tax preparers who falsify returns and exploit government programs and benefits established during the COVID-19 pandemic to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers can expect to be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama.

“As a tax preparer, Aylesha Allen had a duty to file truthful and accurate returns on behalf of her clients,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Atlanta Field Office. “Individuals who abuse that responsibility by making false claims or fabricating losses undermine the integrity of our tax system. IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue these fraudsters and hold them accountable.”

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Gaillard Ladd prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.