A jury in Fort Worth, Texas has convicted four family members for their roles in a tax refund fraud scheme that sought more than $8.5 million in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould and the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.
Court records show that David Hunt, his twin sons Brandon and Baylon Hunt, all from Arlington, Texas, along with their half-brother Corey Burt, formerly of Long Beach, Mississippi, filed fraudulent tax returns using names of trusts they controlled. These returns requested millions in refunds to which they were not entitled. Brandon Hunt also submitted a false return under his own name. Both Brandon and Baylon Hunt sent fake documents to the IRS, including altered financial instruments and money orders. Some documents were used to counter IRS efforts to recover funds already disbursed.
Despite receiving warning letters from the IRS regarding their actions, the defendants continued submitting false returns and other fraudulent documents. In total, they obtained over $1.7 million from the IRS through these activities. According to court records, proceeds were shared among the group via transfers between themselves and spent on luxury items such as furniture, cryptocurrency, a Cadillac Escalade vehicle, and real estate in Mississippi.
All four individuals were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States. David Hunt, Brandon Hunt, and Corey Burt were additionally convicted on multiple counts related to preparing false tax returns; Baylon Hunt was acquitted on two such counts.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould stated: “Fraudulent tax schemes such as this rob the federal fisc and the American taxpayers. This verdict rightly held all four defendants accountable for their roles in the criminal conduct – a result garnered by the diligent work of IRS-CI, the Tax Section of DOJ’s Criminal Division, and those in my office to bring these individuals to justice.”
Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr., representing IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office added: “Let this verdict serve as a warning: frivolous tax arguments have no merit and will not shield anyone from prosecution. Those who attempt to misuse the tax system through baseless claims and deceptive filings not only undermine public trust but also face serious legal consequences. The women and men of IRS-CI remain steadfast in our mission to protect the integrity of the tax system and pursue those who seek to defraud it.”
Sentencing is set for March 26, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Each defendant faces up to five years imprisonment for conspiracy charges as well as up to three years per count related to false tax return preparation; additional penalties may include fines, restitution payments, and supervised release terms.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation with assistance from U.S. Marshals Service officers who helped locate three defendants after they fled during trial proceedings.
Prosecution is being handled by Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind and Daniel Lipkowitz from DOJ’s Tax Section alongside Assistant United States Attorney Mark McDonald from the Northern District of Texas.
