3 facing dozens of felony charges, accused in connection with tax fraud scheme in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- Three Milwaukee residents have been charged out of Milwaukee County for their alleged involvement in a tax fraud scheme, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue announced Monday, November 14th.

49-year-old Raimone Lewis Sr., 47-year-old Kristine Lewis and 30-year-old Melissa Hlawek each face 24 felony charges:


    They are accused of defrauding the Wisconsin Department of Revenue out of at least $22,217.

    According to a criminal complaint, between 2010 and 2015, the three conspired to file 93 fraudulent income tax returns. The returns included bogus wage and tax statements purportedly issued by two fake businesses requesting refunds of taxes never actually withheld.

    The three filed the fraudulent returns both in their own names and under stolen identities.

    Between 2010 and 2014, they used fake W-2s in the name of a business called 'Raimone and Associates' which purported to be located at a Milwaukee address, which actually was a mail box drop location.

    In 2015, they switched the scam over to another fake business name.

    A search warrant executed at Raimone's home in 2015 revealed notebooks listing the stolen identities garnered by handing out fake job applications for Raimone and Associates.

    The three are being prosecuted by the Public Integrity Unit with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office after an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue's Fraud Unit and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.

    They'll make their initial appearances in court on December 7th.

    If convicted on all counts the three could face up to 148 years in prison.