United States of America v. Dantavious Jackson

Augusta, Georgia criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with fraud.

On December 15, 2025, a truckdriver who operated a “ghost” tax preparation business on the side was sentenced to federal prison for making claims for refunds of false COVID-19 related employment tax credits.

Dantavious Jackson, 39, Union City, Georgia, owned and operated a trucking business in Union City, Georgia. He also had a side business preparing tax forms for a fee. By law, any individual who assists in preparing federal tax returns for a fee is required to obtain a preparer identification number (“PTIN”) from the IRS. Jackson prepared and filed tax returns as a “ghost preparer,” omitting his identity by PTIN or by any other means on the returns he filed for clients.

In addition, Jackson applied for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (also known as the CARES Act), enacted on March 27, 2020. This Act provided for an employee retention credit (“ERC”), designed to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jackson executed a scheme to defraud the United States by preparing and filing thirty-five IRS Forms 941 for himself and two clients that falsely claimed they were entitled to receive $4,112,297 in tax refunds based on fraudulently claimed ERCs. Jackson fabricated wages and employees to claim ERCs inducing the U.S. Treasury to mail $1,567,855 in fraudulent tax refunds to himself and his clients.

“IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue investigating and forwarding for prosecution, individuals like Dantavious Jackson, who defrauded American taxpayers at a time when businesses needed funds to help keep employees on their payrolls,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “During FY25, IRS Criminal Investigation initiated 588 investigations involving more than $5.6 billion of potentially fraudulent Employee Retention Credits related to tax years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.”

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs, III.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 84 months in prison for executing a mail fraud scheme to defraud the United States by making claims for refunds of false COVID-19 related employment tax credits announced Margaret E. Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Jackson was also ordered to pay over $1.5 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service by U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. There is no parole in the federal system.