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Feds say Riverview mom filed bogus IRS claims while public housed her family

 
Published Sept. 19, 2014

TAMPA — Last year, a Riverview woman collected $1,351 a month in housing assistance from the federal government while also falsely claiming federal tax refunds totaling $61,544, authorities allege.

Ronika Paris, 35, didn't tell the Tampa Housing Authority about all of her bank accounts, the government says, and so now she faces extra federal charges.

Paris, arrested Friday, was indicted by a grand jury this week on eight counts of wire fraud, eight counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of access device fraud and two counts of making false statements.

She pleaded not guilty at her first appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli, who appointed a federal public defender and told the mother of five to look for work, court records show.

According to the indictment, she used stolen names, birth dates and Social Security numbers to file eight tax returns claiming refunds that ranged from $5,125 to $9,987, opening debit card accounts in other people's names to claim the money.

It's unclear from the indictment whether the IRS paid all eight claims.

The document states that Paris had at least 15 debit cards, but she reported only one bank account to the Housing Authority in September 2011 and February 2013, and she understated the number of people living in the home. Her housing assistance was terminated Oct. 31, the Housing Authority reports.

Porcelli ordered her to stay with her parents at their home in Tampa while awaiting trial.

Contact Patty Ryan at (813) 226-3382 or pryan@tampabay.com.