BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

Last year, as cases of tax fraud reached epidemic proportions in the Tampa Bay area, law enforcement formed a multi-agency task force. Through investigations, several people were arrested and charged with tax fraud.

On Tuesday, one of those individuals identified by law enforcement as a “hostess,” was sentenced.

U. S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Ms. Arswaya Ralph, 33, of Riverview, to 28 months (2 years, 6 months) in federal prison. She was charged with presenting a false tax return to the United States government and identity theft. She pleaded guilty on May 29, 2012.

Ms. Ralph was also ordered to pay $273,254 in restitution, of which approximately $105,280 has been recovered. Additionally, she has been ordered to forfeit a 2010 Buick Lacrosse, televisions, computers, jewelry, and other luxury items.

According to the plea agreement, last June, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home of Ms. Ralph. During the search, police recovered $31,387 in cash, approximately 42 reloadable debit cards, two laptop computers, and approximately 12 handwritten ledgers.

The ledgers contained numerous names, dates of birth, social security numbers, of individuals. It also contained personal identification numbers for online tax filing services, and other financial information, that included bank account and routing numbers.

The investigation also revealed that Ms. Ralph attended and hosted “Drop Parties” during which she and others electronically filed fraudulent income tax returns simultaneously.

Ms. Ralph admitted that she filed the fraudulent tax returns using the names and personal identification of other people. During a search of her laptop computer, police discovered about 65 fraudulent tax returns for the 2010 tax year.

The false claims resulted in an intended loss of $467,781.