Authorities allege $700K scam

TAMPA — The U.S. Attorney's office charged a Tampa man in a tax return scam, an indictment that's part of an overall emphasis to combat Internal Revenue Service-related fraud.

Koffi Gbikpi, 46, was charged with 17 counts of making and presenting false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. He faces up to five years in federal prison on each count, if convicted.

Gbikpi prepared and filed 17 federal income tax returns with the IRS between February and November 2009, according a release from the U.S. Attorney's office in Tampa. But the returns, alleges the release, totaled $704,676 in false refunds. Gbikpi used several email addresses to submit the false refunds, authorities allege.