State Tax Commission arrests tax fraud suspect

August 6, 2009


Former Springville resident charged
With State felony tax fraud counts

A former Springville resident was booked Wednesday, Aug. 5 in the Utah County Jail on several felony tax fraud and theft counts.

The Utah State Tax Commission charged Glen L. Mihlfeith, age 64, with communications fraud, theft by deception, and identity fraud, all second and third degree felonies.

Mihlfeith received more than $12,500 in fraudulent state income tax refunds between 2003 and 2007, said Charlie Roberts, spokesman for the Tax Commission.

“He submitted several fraudulent tax returns using the identity of another person, as well as his own,” Roberts said. “He also attempted to obtain additional fraudulent refunds of over $43,000.”

Although the victim of the identity theft did not sustain loss of tax refunds, those fraudulent refunds obtained by Mihlfeith were from income taxes paid by other taxpayers.

Mihlfeith was arrested in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on Aug. 1, and subsequently extradited to Utah.

The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Tax Commission and will be prosecuted by the Utah County Attorney’s office.

All state income taxes are used to educate Utah’s children, and the Tax Commission vigorously pursues theft and fraud cases.