Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jennifer Hansen to two years in prison for filing false tax returns for the years 2016, 2017, and 2018. She had pleaded guilty on March 22, 2022.
According to court documents, Hansen, a registered nurse, was employed by a medical examination company to evaluate individuals who were seeking life insurance policies. In that role, Hansen earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in income during the years 2016, 2017, and 2018, all of which she intentionally omitted from her federal income tax returns. Through her false returns, Hansen caused a tax loss to the United States of $257,830.44. The Court ordered her to make full restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in that amount.
During the investigation into Hansen’s tax crimes, investigators also learned that a substantial portion of Hansen’s unreported income was illegitimately earned. In that regard, Hansen generated income by submitting false records to her employer claiming that she had examined a real patient, when, in fact, she had not. The Court ordered Hansen to pay over $1,000,000 in restitution to her former employer.
“For three years, Ms. Hansen cheated her employer, insurance policy holders, and the American people to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars for herself,” said Brian Payne, special agent in charge of IRS-CI’s Tampa Field Office. “Cheaters don’t win, and Ms. Hansen must now face consequences for her actions.”
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.