Georgia mail carrier allegedly part of tax-fraud scheme

A mail carrier in Columbus has been accused of collecting fraudulent income-tax returns on his route as part of a $24 million, two-state conspiracy, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported.

Federal investigators said Harold Coley conspired to use stolen personal information from an Alabama state database and other sources to file false federal returns for 2011 and 2012, according to the report.

Coley was paid to divert tax refunds to false addresses or vacant homes on his route and give the checks to his accomplices, the paper reported.

An Alabama woman, Keisha Lanier, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft as part of the conspiracy, the paper reported. She was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $5,811,406.

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