Tallahassee, Fla. — A former Florida State University track and field athlete, Teona Rodgers, was sentenced on Friday to more than six years in prison after being convicted of filing fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities. The 28-year-old Rodgers was also ordered to pay restitution exceeding $151,000 for her role in the scheme.
Rodgers, who had been on a track and field scholarship at Florida State, used stolen personal information to file fraudulent tax returns for the years 2011 and 2012. Her actions led to the submission of 64 false tax returns, seeking nearly $466,000 in refunds.
The fraudulent activities came to light in 2013 when authorities discovered notebooks and debit cards belonging to other individuals in an apartment she had vacated. The stolen personal data was used to file the fraudulent returns, leading to the criminal charges against Rodgers.
Rodgers’ sentence serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of identity theft and tax fraud. She will now spend over six years behind bars and is responsible for reimbursing the government for a portion of the money involved in the fraud scheme.
