24 Internal Revenue Service employees were charged Wednesday with pilfering government benefits, federal prosecutors told the Associated Press.
The Memphis-based United States attorney's office claimed the employees illegally received $250,000 in benefits, among them: unemployment insurance payments, food stamps, welfare and housing vouchers.
The attorney's office said in a public statement detailing the scams that 13 of the IRS employees will be indicted for making false statements of unemployment to receive said benefits. While applying for, or recertifying their government benefits, the employees claimed they weren't working-they could face up to five years in prison if they are found guilty.
11 others still face charges of property theft culminating in over $1,000 of belongings. This could land them in the slammer for up to 12 years.
In the news statement released Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton voiced his dissatisfaction with the government employees.
"While these IRS employees were supposed to be serving the public, they were instead brazenly stealing from law-abiding American taxpayers," he said.
District Attorney for Shelby County Amy Weirich also expressed frustration and disappointment with the scammers.
"The taxes that we pay are supposed to support our nation and assist individuals in need, not free-loaders who are gaming the system," she said.
Prosecutors scheduled a news conference to officially announce the indictments, but canceled last minute due to "unforeseen events." Attorney's office spokesperson Rodney declined to comment further.
There have been whispers that the cancellation was due to the investigation of two letters sent to President Obama and Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker that were poisoned with ricin, as the letters were postmarked Memphis. No officials have confirmed that reasoning as fact, though.
The 24 IRS workers on trail range in age from 28 to 64-all are residents of Memphis or Jackson, Tennessee, and Southaven, Mississippi.
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