Idaho Husband and Wife and Three Others Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Related Charges

Two defendants made their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate judge last week after a federal grand jury in Boise, Idaho, returned an indictment charging five individuals with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and related charges for submitting false tax returns and fictious financial instruments to the IRS. The other three defendants had previously made their initial appearances in federal court in Boise. 

The following is according to the indictment: from 2023 through 2024, Andrea and Kent Shannon, of Kuna, Idaho, as well as Brittany Plahm, of Frankfort, Illinois, Monika Skinger of Chicago, and Sherita Chandler, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, allegedly conspired together to submit false individual and trust tax returns that claimed millions in refunds to which they were not entitled. To induce the IRS to accept their refund claims, the defendants and others allegedly sent more than 100 fictitious financial instruments — such as checks, money orders, or payment vouchers — totaling approximately $57 million to the IRS to make it appear that they had paid taxes that could be refunded.  

The indictment further alleges that Andrea and Kent Shannon used a portion of the false refunds they received to purchase, among other things, a $90,000 Cadillac Escalade and a $144,000 GMC Sierra 3500.

All defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Andrea and Kent Shannon were also charged with wire fraud and filing false claims. Finally, Kent Shannon was also charged with money laundering.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Andrea and Kent Shannon face an additional maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each false claim charge. Kent Shannon faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the money laundering charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

IRS Criminal Investigations is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney David F. Scollan of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.