College Park Resident Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

A College Park resident and former tax examiner for the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) pled guilty last week to a federal charge of wire fraud.

The following are details according to an FBI press release:

Mary Ayers-Zander, 47, admitted before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to issuing fraudulent tax refunds that went into the bank accounts of herself and others.

By accessing taxpayer accounts of four individuals, Ayers-Zander garnered $365,281 that fed two personal accounts in 48 separate transfers from OTR’s bank account.

She also caused $46,175 in fraudulent refunds to be issued to five other individuals and eliminated a $1,147 tax liability for one of those individuals. In addition, she prepared and filed fraudulent income tax returns.

Ayers-Zander faces 33 to 63 months in prison and will be forced to forfeit the proceeds of her crimes and to pay restitution of more than $410,000 to the District government.

She is to be sentenced Feb. 2, 2012.