Brandon Hunt was sentenced to 90 months after a jury trial involving false tax returns filed in the names of trusts. DOJ says the family sought more than $8.5 million in refunds they were not entitled to using falsified documents.

Brandon Hunt was sentenced to 90 months for orchestrating a tax refund fraud scheme prosecutors said targeted the IRS through fabricated filings. DOJ stated that Hunt’s case was tried to a jury and resulted in a prison sentence based on conduct involving false tax returns created and submitted in the names of trusts. According to the DOJ, the scheme pursued more than $8.5 million in refunds that the defendants allegedly were not entitled to. Prosecutors also said the fraud was reinforced by additional falsified documents submitted after the initial filings. The trust structure—purporting to route tax matters through entities presented as legitimate—was allegedly used to create an appearance of credibility while concealing the lack of entitlement to the claimed refunds. The case highlights a common fraud pattern in tax-related cybercrime: using paperwork that looks routine to generate automated or bureaucratic approval. While tax systems can include legitimate trusts and documentation, DOJ’s allegations emphasize that fraudulent filings can exploit the administrative process when documents are fabricated or misrepresented. The government’s outcome sends a clear message that manufactured refund claims, especially those supported by additional falsified documents, can result in significant federal prison time.