September 28, 2017

Texas Comptroller Investigators Help Recover Taxes, Restitution from Alleged Criminals

(AUSTIN) — In fiscal 2017, the Texas Comptroller’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) made 82 arrests, filed 156 felony charges with prosecutors and secured 109 felony indictments against tax cheats trying to defraud Texas taxpayers.

Many of the arrests were related to suspects evading or attempting to evade paying tax on motor fuel. In all, CID’s efforts led to the recovery of more than $280,000 in taxes and court-ordered restitution to the state through the end of the fiscal year.

“Every tax dollar pilfered from state coffers is a dollar that eventually becomes the burden of law-abiding taxpayers,” Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. “Our Criminal Investigation Division will continue to go after those who cheat their fellow Texans. These crimes simply will not be tolerated.”

CID has 21 full-time employees who work with various state and local police departments to investigate felony and misdemeanor crimes related to a variety of Texas taxes, including cigarette and tobacco taxes, motor fuel taxes, occupations code violations, sales and use tax and motor vehicle taxes. The officers conduct sting operations, stakeouts and inspections and make arrests.

Most recently, CID investigators helped authorities prosecute a Houston man for using a cloned credit card to unlawfully obtain 41 gallons of diesel fuel pumped into a concealed auxiliary tank in the bed of his pickup truck.

For more information on current cases, go to the CID website.