TAX NEWS - April 2009

Delaware tax:
Milford Woman Indicted on Tax Charges and Perjury

(Wilmington, DE) – Director of Revenue, Patrick T. Carter announced today that the grand jury for the Superior Court in Kent County returned a four-count indictment of tax fraud and perjury against a Milford woman.

Georgeina B. Ranshaw, 46, was charged with three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a State of Delaware personal income tax return for tax years 2005, 2006 and 2007. Ranshaw was also charged with one felony count of perjury for signing a business license application using a false social security number.

Ranshaw operated Nurses on the Go, which provided personal care services to elderly and disabled clients in their homes. In addition, Ranshaw operated a cleaning business under the name Littleman's Cleaning Service based in Milford, Delaware. Despite generating significant revenue from these businesses, Ranshaw failed to file a state tax return and report her business income in the years 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Additionally, investigators say that from about October 2001 through December 2008, Ranshaw misrepresented herself as a registered nurse and practiced nursing without a license. During this period of time, Ranshaw also attempted to conceal her income from the Division of Revenue by using a false social security number, under penalties of perjury, on a business license application.

The felony count of perjury is punishable by up to a maximum 3 years in prison. The three misdemeanor tax offenses are each punishable by up to a maximum one year in prison and up to $2,300 in fines.

The current charges against Ranshaw resulted from an investigation conducted by the Delaware Attorney General's Office and the Delaware Division of Revenue's Criminal Investigation Unit.

Ranshaw awaits arraignment and a trial date in Superior Court in Dover.