Eight charged in alleged tax-fraud ring

Eight people from Pennsylvania and New Jersey were indicted this week on charges of taking part in a tax-fraud conspiracy aiming to steal more than $3 million, federal authorities announced Friday.

The indictment identified Michael Akers, 57, of Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, as the ringleader. Others charged were Raymond Holmes, 56, of Philadelphia; Wendell Cisco, 38, of York, Pa., and Suwanee, Ga.; William Fisher, 55, of Philadelphia; Lynell Matthews, 23, and Latoya Matthews, 27, both of Whitesboro, N.J.; Maria Latorre, 28, of York; and Jalon Hopewell, 27, of Philadelphia. All were arrested except Hopewell, who was being sought Friday.

The indictment alleges that between September 2006 and March 2011, Akers filed false tax returns for clients in which he claimed refunds to which the clients were not entitled, then took a cut of each refund check. His codefendants are accused of working with him on the fraudulent returns. The bogus returns claimed refunds totaling more than $3.2 million, of which the IRS paid out $1.8 million, the indictment said. - Inquirer staff