KINGSTON, Jamaica – Pamella Watson, Treasurer of the Jamaican Women of Florida (JWOF) organisation was on Wednesday arrested on several federal charges.
The charges included mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, submitting false and fraudulent claims and aggravated identity theft.
Prosecutors, according to the SunSentinel newspaper, said the 60-year-old used her Miami tax preparation firm, Watson & Associates Business Services Inc, to run a tax refund scheme that defrauded many of her long-term clients and the government.
SunSentinel reported that Watson also transferred more than US$1 million to an account in Jamaica, according to court records.
The investigation began in 2014 after at least one of Watson’s clients became suspicious and noticed something was awry with his return.
Investigators provided a cooperating witness with what looked like an IRS audit letter, and Watson agreed to represent the client.
She later submitted what prosecutors said were fraudulent medical bills that appeared to show the client had undergone medical treatment in Jamaica.
The client later confirmed to investigators that the medical expenses were falsified by Watson and the client had received no such treatment.
