Jonquaris Richardson
Introduction
Jonquaris Richardson, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for making false claims to the Internal Revenue Service . Between 17 September 2022 and 1 September 2023, Richardson filed 46 false claims with the IRS seeking Employee Retention Credit and Sick Family Leave Credits — pandemic-era programs meant to reduce the tax burdens of small businesses and reimburse wages paid to employees who could not work . His filings sought refunds totaling $4,326,885, of which he ultimately received $227,874 in six US Treasury checks .
Background Information
Richardson fraudulently claimed he employed individuals as the owner of two entities — A+ Garage Service, Inc. and A+ Garage Services LLC — which purportedly provided garage door installation and service . On the strength of those claims he filed fraudulent Employer’s Quarterly Tax Returns and Adjusted Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns claiming refunds . The investigation was conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation .
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Sentenced to three and a half years after filing 46 false IRS tax claims seeking 4.3 million dollars in pandemic-era refunds.
The scheme ran for nearly a year, from September 2022 to September 2023, using two apparently legitimate garage-door businesses as the vehicle for 46 separate false claims to pandemic relief credits . Of the $4,326,885 in refunds sought, six Treasury checks totaling $227,874 were actually paid out before the scheme was stopped . The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, as part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud .
Public Reaction and Consequences
US Attorney Heekin said: “Tax fraud schemes, like the one executed by this defendant, victimize all American taxpayers by stealing from the federal government. My office and the entire Department of Justice are laser-focused on vindicating the interests of American taxpayers by holding the fraudsters exploiting our government accountable” . Charles Miller, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Florida Field Office, said “pandemic relief programs were designed to help businesses facing legitimate hardships, not to enrich individuals through fraud,” adding that the IRS remains committed to investigating those who exploit the tax system for personal gain . The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody .
Current Status
Richardson is serving his three-and-a-half-year federal sentence, announced by the Northern District of Florida on 13 November 2026 . No appeal was reported in the announcement .
Impact on Their Career/Life
The two garage-door companies he named on his fraudulent filings — the only business record he created — exist now as the paper trail of a $4.3 million fraud attempt, and at 27 Richardson begins a federal prison term as the announced example of the government’s pandemic-fraud enforcement .
Sources
- “Tallahassee Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for False Tax Filing Scheme” — US Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida / justice.gov, November 2026: source