Town of Benton Resident Kathy Richard Charged With Five Counts of Fraudulent Claim for Tax Credit

DARLINGTON - Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced that on March 11, 2011, an attorney for the Wisconsin Department of Justice, acting as special prosecutor for Lafayette County and Dane County, filed a summons and criminal complaint in Lafayette County Circuit Court accusing Kathy Richard, town of Benton resident, with five counts of Fraudulent Claim for Tax Credit, contrary to Wis. Stat. § 71.83(2)(b)(4). Each count is a Class H Felony with a maximum penalty of a fine not to exceed $10,000.00 or imprisonment not to exceed six years, or both.

According to the criminal complaint, Ms. Richard submitted fraudulent Earned Income Tax Credit Claims to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue for 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. In each of the claims, Ms. Richard claimed to own and operate a fictitious daycare business. She obtained $7,979.00 by defrauding the State Department of Revenue. She also obtained $12,165.00 by filing similar claims with the federal government.

The matter is tentatively scheduled for an initial appearance in Lafayette County Circuit Court on March 21, 2011, at 9:00 a.m.

A criminal complaint is a document that alleges that a crime was committed by a person or a corporation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, and the United States Office of the Inspector General. Assistant Attorney General Eric D. Défort represents the State of Wisconsin as the special prosecutor.

A copy of the criminal complaint is available at: