South Florida jail scams turn IRS into ATM: filing for more than $1 million in bogus tax refunds

The Miami Herald reports:

Say this for the thieves, druggies and bank robbers at the county jail outside Key West: They put their idle time to profitable use.

Detainees turned the IRS into their own private ATM, filing for about $1 million in fraudulent refunds.

Before the scam was uncovered, they hauled in as much as $100,000 for themselves, their friends and relatives, say past and present law-enforcement officials. It was easy money.

``I was shocked that inmates could steal from the IRS that easily and that blatantly and not be prosecuted. Even when the case was handed to them on a platter,'' said Rick Roth, a retired Monroe County Sheriff who said the feds dragged their feet in prosecuting the perpetrators.

Is the IRS ready for ObamaCare?