At $93 million, largest COVID-19 scheme ever included 2 LA residents, feds say

Four people — two from Los Angeles, one from Compton and another from Victorville — were arrested Thursday, June 26, on suspicion of running a $93 million or more COVID-19 tax fraud, officials said.

Two face additional charges for allegedly shooting the scheme’s leader to try to stop him from talking to law enforcement.

A federal grand jury earlier this month charged, with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and conspiracy to submit false claims: Kristerpher Turner, 52, of Los Angeles; Toriano Knox, 55, of Los Angeles; Kenya Jones, 46, of Compton; and Joyce Johnson, 55, of Victorville.

Knox and Jones were also charged with attempted murder and also face firearms charges after prosecutors say they shot Turner, the purported leader, multiple times to try to stop him from talking with law enforcement.

According to the FBI, Turner ran a tax scheme in which people would submit fake forms on behalf of their businesses, clients’ businesses and made-up companies as well to benefit from credits the government intended to reimburse businesses that paid employees who couldn’t work during the pandemic.

Turner is accused of having recruiters, including Knox and Jones, bring in clients, including romantic partners, family members and friends, FBI officials said.

The clients submitted their personal information, which would be used to create fake businesses and tax filings, and other clients would give information about already existing businesses so that co-conspirators could file fraudulent tax filings, the FBI said.

Participants would then get checks from the U.S. Treasury and deposit them into bank accounts. Prosecutors allege Turner had participants pay him and his co-conspirators 20% to 40% of the check.

From June 2020 to December 2024, investigators say, the conspirators submitted fraudulent forms for at least 148 companies, leading the IRS to issue checks for at least $93 million.

In August 2023, prosecutors allege Knox, Jones and others shot Turner multiple times at an office park in Gardena after they learned the IRS was making inquiries and feared Turner would speak to authorities.

Turner survived but is paralyzed.

If convicted as charged, the defendants would face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud charge; Knox and Jones would face life in prison.