Four individuals from the Los Angeles area have been federally charged in connection with what the FBI calls the nation’s largest known COVID-19 tax credit fraud scheme, totaling $93 million in fraudulent claims.
A federal grand jury indicted the four on June 11, accusing them of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to submit false claims. Two of the defendants also face charges of attempted murder of a witness and using a firearm in furtherance of that crime.
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The scheme exploited tax credits made available during the pandemic under the Family First Coronavirus Response Act, which was designed to help businesses recover wages paid to employees who couldn’t work due to COVID-19.
The Defendants:
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Kristerpher Turner, 52, of Harbor City — aliases: Kris Turner, Red, Red Boy, Bullet
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Toriano Knox, 55, of Los Angeles — aliases: Scooby, Dwight
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Kenya Jones, 46, of Compton — aliases: Kenya Emua Jones, Kenya Hunt
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Joyce Johnson, 55, of Victorville — alias: Ms. Jay
According to the indictment, Turner led the operation, filing fraudulent claims for nonexistent or ineligible businesses. He worked with co-conspirators to submit these filings, not only for their own fake businesses but also for others recruited into the scheme.
Knox and Jones acted as recruiters, bringing in additional participants, including family and friends. These individuals used their own identities to create fake business profiles and submit bogus tax documents.
In some cases, the fraud ring used information from real businesses that didn’t qualify for tax credits to further their scheme.
Once the IRS issued refund checks, Turner allegedly took 20% to 40% of each payout as his fee. Payments were sent directly to Turner or his controlled entities.
From June 2020 to December 2024, the conspirators filed fraudulent forms for at least 148 companies, attempting to claim over $247 million. The IRS issued approximately $93 million in refund checks as a result.
Attempted Murder Allegation
When the IRS began its investigation, court documents say Knox and Jones tried to kill Turner, allegedly fearing he would cooperate with law enforcement. Turner was shot multiple times in broad daylight in Gardena. He survived but was left paralyzed, according to the FBI.
Potential Sentences
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison per mail fraud charge.
Knox and Jones also face up to life in prison for the firearm charge and 30 years for attempted murder.
The case marks a significant development in ongoing efforts to crack down on pandemic-related fraud.
