'Sultana' Convicted of Conspiracy
United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, November 6, 2008, that on November 3, 2008, after deliberating 1 1/2 hours, a jury of seven men and five women found Edna Gorham-Bey guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims.
Gorham-Bey, age 58, of Alexandria, Virginia, was tried before Chief United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorneys Bruce J. Teitelbaum and Scott W. Brady, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that from 2002 and continuing until April 2003, Gorham-Bey, the self-proclaimed "Sultana" of the United States Moorish American Nation, conspired with others to defraud the United States by filing fraudulent federal income tax returns. The information presented at trial showed that Gorham-Bey conspired with George Brooks, an inmate at SCI-Pittsburgh, and others to prepare and file six federal income tax returns in the name of Brooks and five other inmates at SCI-Pittsburgh. All of the returns falsely claimed that refunds were due and owing. Gorham-Bey facilitated the scheme by supplying the addresses to which the refund checks were mailed to Brooks. Gorham-Bey received the refund checks at the addresses she controlled or was associated with. Gorham-Bey then deposited the checks in the bank account of Children's Hospitality House, Inc., a Washington, DC based organization run by Gorham-Bey. Gorham-Bey, who had sole signatory authority over this bank account, withdrew all monies associated with the refund checks immediately following their deposit.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for February 13, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Edna Gorham-Bey.
Gorham-Bey, age 58, of Alexandria, Virginia, was tried before Chief United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorneys Bruce J. Teitelbaum and Scott W. Brady, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that from 2002 and continuing until April 2003, Gorham-Bey, the self-proclaimed "Sultana" of the United States Moorish American Nation, conspired with others to defraud the United States by filing fraudulent federal income tax returns. The information presented at trial showed that Gorham-Bey conspired with George Brooks, an inmate at SCI-Pittsburgh, and others to prepare and file six federal income tax returns in the name of Brooks and five other inmates at SCI-Pittsburgh. All of the returns falsely claimed that refunds were due and owing. Gorham-Bey facilitated the scheme by supplying the addresses to which the refund checks were mailed to Brooks. Gorham-Bey received the refund checks at the addresses she controlled or was associated with. Gorham-Bey then deposited the checks in the bank account of Children's Hospitality House, Inc., a Washington, DC based organization run by Gorham-Bey. Gorham-Bey, who had sole signatory authority over this bank account, withdrew all monies associated with the refund checks immediately following their deposit.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for February 13, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Edna Gorham-Bey.
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