BELOIT — Two Illinois women are facing felony charges after authorities say they used fraudulent Social Security numbers to obtain tax refund loans from a national finance company operating across several states.
Marcie Nichole Johnson, 42, of Champaign, and Tasheba M. Palmer, 34, of Rantoul, were each charged with identity theft for financial gain, a Class H felony that carries a potential sentence of up to six years in prison.
According to a criminal complaint, the women allegedly applied for tax refund anticipation loans online using their real names but false Social Security numbers. Investigators say the applications were submitted to multiple World Finance Corp. branches in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Missouri.
Authorities allege the pair successfully secured fraudulent loans from branches in Indianapolis and Burlington. Additional loan applications and appointments were scheduled or submitted at offices in Monona, Janesville, and Beloit.
World Finance Corp. officials reportedly identified irregularities in the earlier loans and alerted branch managers. Beloit police were notified when Johnson scheduled an appointment on Jan. 13 to finalize paperwork at the Beloit office. Officers arrested Johnson inside the branch, while Palmer was taken into custody after being found waiting in a vehicle outside.
A tax refund anticipation loan is a short-term loan that allows borrowers to receive part of their expected federal tax refund in advance. The loan, along with fees and interest, is repaid once the refund is issued by the IRS.
World Finance Corp., headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, operates approximately 1,200 branches across 16 states and reports annual profits exceeding $525 million.
Both women made initial court appearances in Rock County Circuit Court on Jan. 15. Each was released on a $1,500 signature bond. Palmer is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 11, while Johnson is due back on Feb. 18.
