A female rap duo from Detroit was busted by the Internal Revenue Service over a $5.5 million fraud scheme.
Sameerah "Creme" Marrel and Noelle "Nikki Brown" Brown, who performed as Deuces Wild, are accused of using loopholes and businesses to claim millions worth of withholdings and refunds. Between 2013 and 2018, the duo allegedly filed 122 returns and opened at least 29 bank accounts to claim more than $13.6 million worth of withholdings and refunds. By the time the IRS recognized the fraud, the government entity had already paid the women $5,539,049.
According to investigators, Marrel and Brown filed electronically and by mail from Michigan and Georgia. The duo, who haven't released music since 2012, allegedly made up companies and stole people's identities to file multiple returns.
"These returns were all identified as fraudulent because the returns claimed that the IRS had withheld large amounts of income tax from the trusts purportedly filing the returns and that those trusts were therefore entitled to large refunds of the excess income tax withheld," read the unsealed complaint.
Authorities were tipped off by Brown's alleged best friend, who said Brown told her that Marrel knew how to get her large business loans if she was interested. The informant, listed as "CH" in legal documents, received a $51,000 check from the IRS after Marrel reportedly put CH's name into a pot. CH was then instructed to get a $28,000 cashier's check to pay Marrel’' Clean Sleep Properties business.
Marrel appeared in court last week, while Brown has not been taken into custody yet. Both women have been charged with aggravated identity theft, false claims, and conspiracy. If convicted, they face 10 years in prison.
Source: FOX2 Detroit
