Houston woman gets sentenced for IRS refund fraud

HOUSTON (KIAH) – A Houston woman will now spend time in prison for allegedly committing bank fraud. Whitley Rachelle Carter, 33, pleaded guilty to cashing in stolen tax checks. Law enforcement discovered in January 2022 that a Houston couple had not received their $2 million IRS refund check.

Further investigation revealed that Carter and his conspirators, Kuljinder Singh Hunjan and Benjamin Thomas, used fake IDs to open accounts at a Regions Bank.

“Carter brazenly entered banks with counterfeit identification documents and stolen checks on multiple occasions – one check as large as $2.9 million. Thanks to law enforcement's efforts, Carter won't be anywhere near a bank (or a check) for years to come.”

US Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani

Surveillance footage from the bank later identified both suspects, with Hunjan's fingerprints being found on the fake check. CashApp transactions later helped investigators link Carter to the crime. Thomas was arrested in April 2022 while he was driving a stolen vehicle. Two fake debit cards and an ATM receipt with an $800 withdrawal from Regions Bank were found in his possession. Thomas' cell phone records also showed that he contacted Hunjan multiple times during this investigation.

Both Thomas and Hunjan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in 2023. Hunjan was sentenced to 3 and a half years in prison while Thomas received a 7 and a half prison sentence. Carter will serve two and a half years in prison with the possibility of parole. She is ordered to pay over $4 million in restitution.