Texas woman part of plot that siphoned $2.5M from Arizona CPA firm, will serve 18 months

ATexaswomanwillserve18monthsinfederalprisonforherroleinafraudconspiracythatsiphoned$2.5millionfromtaxpayersrepresentedbyanArizona-certifiedpublicaccountantfirm. JackieMariePetersofMansfield,Texas,pledguiltyinOctober2024toconspiracytodefraud.OnMarch31,2025,ArizonaDistrictCourtJudgeG.MurraySnowimposedan18-monthsentence,whichwillbefollowedbythreeyearsofsupervisedrelease. FederalcourtrecordsshowedPeterswaspartofawiderconspiracythatinvolvedatleastnineothers. Inherguiltyplea,Petersadmittedtoopeningatleastsevenbankaccountsinhernameorthenameofherbusinessin2020.TheaccountsreceivedtaxreturnsduetocustomersoftheunnamedCPAfirm,whichwashackedbyothersinvolvedinthetaxscheme.Insomecases,returnsforthe2019taxyearwerealteredtoclaimahighertaxrefund,Petersstated. Peterstransferredthereturns,aswellasseveralCOVID-19reliefpaymentsintendedforlegitimatetaxpayers,toheraccounts.Inall,thefraudamountedto$2.5million,courtrecordsshowed. Sh