Blythewood woman who took $1.2M in CARES Act scheme sentenced for fraud

A Blythewood woman was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to tax fraud and taking $1.2 million in CARES Act funds, the federal government’s program to help people through the coronavirus pandemic.

Bridgett Dorsey, 39, was also ordered by Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan to serve a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, pay more than $1 million in restitution for the CARES Act fraud plus $13,865 in restitution to the IRS for the tax fraud.

Dorsey was accused of applying for $1,253,460.35 from April 2020 through August 2020 for seven businesses she owned. The CARES Act was passed by Congress in March 2020.

Dorsey’s applications overstated business revenue and the number of employees and listed addresses where businesses did not exist, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Dorsey also prepared tax returns for other people and claimed deductions she knew were false.

Federal agents seized more than $500,000 of the stolen funds in her bank accounts.

Dorsey paid $184,000 in restitution before sentencing.

“The defendant in this case not only stole from the federal government and engaged in tax fraud, but she prevented funds from reaching the hands of those who needed it the most. That this occurred during a pandemic makes her crimes particularly egregious,” U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis said in a news release.

This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 9:59 AM.