Chicago accountant learns sentence after defrauding Illinois out of more than $250K

CHICAGO - A Chicago accountant was sentenced to 13 years in prison for defrauding the state of Illinois out of more than $250,000, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Wednesday.

Oscar Garrett, 62, was convicted of theft of government property, identity theft, wire and mail fraud, forgery, and income tax fraud.

A Cook County jury convicted Garrett after it was alleged that he obtained fraudulent tax refunds for over a dozen clients between January 2011 and December 2016 by filing false 1099-R and 1099-M forms. The forms were filed on behalf of clients who did not have income from retirement accounts to report, allowing Garrett to fraudulently obtain tax refunds from the state.

Garrett's has been held in Cook County Jail since his conviction.

"I am pleased with the sentencing of jail time for this accountant who abused his position to betray the trust of clients and defraud the state of Illinois," Raoul said in a statement. "I will continue to advocate for the accountability of those who take advantage of clients and steal from the people of Illinois."

Garrett had previously served over two years in federal prison for a similar scheme in which he defrauded the Internal Revenue Service.