A federal grand jury in Sacramento, California returned an indictment today charging a former Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) special agent with six counts of filing false income tax returns, one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the internal revenue laws, one count of theft of government money and one count of destroying records during a federal investigation, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department's Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch of the Northern District of California, Special Agent in Charge Rod Ammari of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and Acting Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon of IRS-CI.

According to the allegations in the indictment, Alena Aleykina, of Sacramento, a certified public accountant and former IRS-CI special agent, filed false individual income tax returns for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011, on which she claimed false filing statutes, dependents, deductions and losses and tax returns on behalf of two trusts.  The indictment further alleges that, between 2008 and 2013, Aleykina attempted to obstruct the IRS by preparing false tax returns for herself, family members, trusts and partnerships and by making false statements to representatives of the Department of the Treasury and attempted to obstruct a federal investigation by destroying evidence on a government computer.  Aleykina is also charged with fraudulently causing the IRS to issue IRS Tuition Assistance Reimbursement payments to her.

If convicted, Aleykina faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison on each count of filing a false tax return and corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the internal revenue laws, 10 years in prison for the charge of theft of government money and 20 years in prison for the destruction of evidence charge, as well as a period of supervised release and monetary penalties.

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo, U.S. Attorney Stretch, Special Agent in Charge Ammari and Acting Special Agent in Charge Waldon thanked agents of TIGTA and IRS-CI, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Newman of the Northern District of California and Trial Attorneys Gregory Bernstein and Charles O'Reilly of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.

Additional information about the Tax Division's enforcement efforts can be found on the division'swebsite.

Tax Division

Topic: TaxDownload Alekinam Superseding Indictment Updated October 20, 2016

Northern District of California DOJ / 16-1232 / October 20, 2016