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Girl Scout IDs used in tax scheme

September 6, 2007
A former Pensacola, Fla., Girl Scout leader has been charged with tax fraud for allegedly filing 19 fictitious tax claims.

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The kicker: Many of the false claims, according to court documents, involved the stolen identities of nearly a dozen young troop members, ages 8 to 12.

Federal prosecutors say Holly M. Barnes obtained the girls’ personal data from their parents by asking for it on a fake medical release.

A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Barnes on 19 counts of filing fictitious tax claims and 15 counts of identity theft. The indictment alleges that Barnes’ filed false claims for more than $187,000 and netted more than $87,000 for her efforts.

Her trial is scheduled to start Nov. 5. If convicted, each count of filing a false IRS claim carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Each identity theft count carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

More on the charges, and reactions of readers, can be found in this Pensacola News Journal article.

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The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

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TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

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