Four of California suspects were accused of defrauding the government with $ 93 million through the tax fraud plan.
Theft is the largest known fraud scheme related to Covid in the United States, according to the FBI.
The suspects were identified as follows:
- Kristepher Turner, AKA “Kris Turner”, “Red,” Red Boy “and” Bullet “, 52, from Harbour City
- Toriano Knox, nickname “Scooby” and “Dwight”, 55, from Los Angeles
- Kenya Jones, nicknamed “Kenya Amwa Jones”, and “Kenya Hunt”, 46, from Compton
- Joys Johnson, nicknamed “Mrs. Jay”, 55, from Victor Feelville
The authorities said that the alleged crimes took place from June 2020 to December 2024. The group and the consumers presented the crucial tax models for at least 148 companies.
During the Covid-19s, Congress authorized tax credits, including “sick and family credits for wages”.
Small companies can order the amounts recovered from tax declarations by claiming credit, known as Corona Virus response credits, which have paid the companies paid to employees who cannot work because of the epidemic.
According to the indictment, Turner and his partners will provide fraudulent models to demand these credits, on behalf of companies that were not present and also on behalf of the people who were recruited to join the plan.
“Turner will direct and run recruits, including Nox and Jones, to employ fraud agents, including romantic partners,” said court documents. “Customers will provide their personal identification information to use to create counterfeit companies and prepare fraudulent tax files. Others will provide information about previous businesses that were not eligible to receive Coronver’s virus response credits so that conspirators can use this information to provide fraudulent tax files on behalf of those work.”
The suspects will receive checks in the mail and deposit them in bank accounts that were opened under the names of wrong works. For every person who got a government check, it is said that Turner will collect between 20 % to 40 % of the received money.
Through this scheme, the suspects sought more than $ 247 million of tax recovered amounts. They finally succeeded in stealing about $ 93 million through checks issued by the Tax Authority.
At some point during the operation that lasted years, the suspects learned that the tax authority officials were investigating the plan.
At one time, on August 29, 2023, Nox, Jones and other unknown suspects tried to kill Turner to prevent him from talking to law enforcement about fraud, court documents said.
Turner was shot several times in a office park in Gardina. They survived the shooting and remained paralyzed.
On June 11, 2025, Turner, Nox, Jones and Johnson were charged with mail fraud, conspiring to make fraud by mail, and conspiring to submit false claims. Nox and Jones were also accused of trying to kill a witness and use a firearm to strengthen this crime.
If you are convicted of all charges, the four will face up to 20 years in prison on charges of fraud by mail. Nox and Jones may face life for firearms and 30 years of murder.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the US Treasury Inspector for Tax Administration and the Criminal Investigation Department in the Tax Authority.