Kansas City Woman Sentenced for Making False Statements to a Financial Institution and Preparing Fraudulent Tax Returns

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City woman was sentenced in federal court yesterday for her role in two separate fraudulent schemes.

Bianca Cobbins, 43, was sentenced by United States District Judge Greg Kays, to 45 months in federal prison, followed by a four-year term of supervised release, for making false statements to a financial institution, as well as aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, resulting in an actual loss of $312,656.00 and an intended loss of $36,128.32. Cobbins was also ordered to pay full restitution to the victims of her crimes. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

In December 2019, Cobbins obtained personal information belonging to a victim, including the victim's legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, address, and credit score. Utilizing this information, Cobbins obtained a fraudulent driver's license containing the victim's personal information and a photograph of another individual, Quanisha Capelton. Cobbins and Capelton then utilized the fraudulent driver's license to apply for a checking account at a local financial institution.

After opening the checking account, Cobbins manufactured two fraudulent paystubs. The paystubs falsely indicated that the above-mentioned victim worked for a healthcare company in Kansas City, Mo., and that the victim's paychecks were directly deposited into the fraudulently opened checking account. Cobbins and Capelton then used the fraudulent driver's license and paystubs to apply for a consumer loan at the above-mentioned local financial institution as well as other loans at various financial institutions and consumer loan companies. This criminal activity resulted in an intended loss of $36,128.32.

Quanisha Capelton was previously charged, convicted, and sentenced to the Bureau of Prisons for her use of the victim's personal information.

In a separate scheme, Cobbins, a professional tax preparer who owned and operated a tax preparation business in Kansas City, Mo., knowingly prepared false federal tax returns for tax years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. In many instances, Cobbins attached fraudulent Schedule C forms to her clients' returns to fraudulently inflate her clients' refunds. Specifically, the fraudulent Schedule C forms falsely claimed business profits and/or losses, all to ensure her clients received the maximum amount of earned income credit.

In total, Cobbins fraudulently prepared at least 60 false federal tax returns, resulting in an actual loss of $312,656.00.

This case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by the United States Secret Service, IRS-CI, and the Lee's Summit, Missouri Police Department.

National Fraud Enforcement Division

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ("Fraud Division"). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired