Tax preparer accused of falsifying documents to lighten sentence

A Jackson woman who pleaded guilty last year to federal fraud charges now faces allegations she falsified documents in an effort to obtain a lighter sentence.

Cynthia Raymond pleaded guilty in September to five counts of filing false income tax returns and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Raymond filed about 98 false tax returns under 36 clients' names without their knowledge, claiming excessive refunds and diverting some of the money into her personal bank account, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court.

Sentencing in the case initially had been set for December but has been delayed several times.

In March, Raymond's then-attorney, assistant federal public defender Tim Burdick, requested the case be continued to this month so his client could undergo treatment for medical issues.

Last week, federal prosecutors filed a motion to enhance Raymond's offense level -- which could lead to a heavier sentence -- after she allegedly filed false documents as part of an Aug. 15 memorandum seeking probation, restitution and community service instead of prison time.

To support her request for leniency, Raymond had her attorney submit to the court two letters and an email message purported to be from two doctors -- one treating her for a back problem, and one treating her for ovarian cancer.

A motion filed Aug. 19 by federal prosecutors states that one doctor denied writing either the letter or the email attributed to him, and a nurse for the other doctor said she did not recognize Raymond's name and could not find any record of her in the hospital's computer system.

"The defendant has a history of making false claims about her health," the motion states, listing 11 instances in which Raymond claimed to have a variety of medical issues, including eight types of cancer, a kidney transplant and a miscarriage.

Sentencing had been set for earlier this month, but prosecutors requested a continuance to allow time to investigate Raymond's claims concerning her medical history.

On Aug. 20, Burdick filed a motion to withdraw as Raymond's lawyer, citing concerns about a conflict of interest created by the latest allegations. The court sustained the motion and appointed Dionne M. Scherff to replace Burdick.

Reached by telephone Wednesday, Scherff said she did not yet have enough information to comment on the case.

The Aug. 15 sentencing memorandum states Raymond's behavior leading to the charges was "out of character for her" and stemmed in part from circumstances surrounding her marriage to a man who physically and emotionally abused her.

According to the memorandum, Raymond needs to be free to care for her daughter and young grandson and to undergo medical treatment for ovarian cancer and back problems.

The memorandum also noted the cost of a two-year prison sentence and two years of supervised release for Raymond would be at least $64,590, with Raymond's medical issues potentially doubling that amount, while three years of probation would cost only $10,042.

A status conference hearing in the case is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 4.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

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Jackson, MO