A 42-year-old Anchorage accountant has been indicted on federal charges of defrauding clients of nearly $1 million. The 41-count indictment handed down Thursday charges Frances Yvonne Rowland with 14 counts of wire fraud, 12 counts of aggravated identity theft, 12 counts of credit card fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and one count of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service.
Rowland owned and operated Carter and Associates, providing accounting and tax preparation services to individuals and small businesses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Bradley says that from 2005 through 2008, Rowland persuaded clients to pay money owed the IRS to her business trust account, promising to transfer the funds. Instead of paying the IRS, she allegedly used an estimated $703,950 to pay business and personal expenses.
She also is charged with stealing her father-in-law's identity in a scheme to obtain numerous credit cards in his name without his knowledge, and making nearly $90,000 in fraudulent charges.
Daily News staff and wires