Nampa woman convicted of tax evasion

BOISE, Idaho — May 20, 2025 — A former human resources generalist is on probation after pleading guilty to tax evasion charges related to a 2023 grand theft conviction for embezzlement.

The Canyon County District Court sentenced Ashley Richards to 180 days in jail and 24 months of unsupervised probation for each of four counts of “Willful Failure to Pay Tax, Make Tax Return, Keep Tax Records, or Supply Information as Required.” The court suspended Richards’ jail time, and she’ll serve her probation sentences concurrently.

Between 2019 and 2022, Richards worked as a senior human resources generalist for a Meridian company. She handled purchases, reimbursements, month-end reconciliations, check deposits, and petty cash. In 2022, the company reported Richards to the Meridian Police Department, citing evidence of embezzlement through fraudulent checks and improper company credit card use totaling over $96,700.

According to the Tax Commission, Richards didn’t file her Idaho individual income tax returns for 2019-2022. She willfully evaded taxes by failing to claim over $710,900 in income from legal and illegal sources.

“Hiding income or purposefully underreporting earnings on a tax return is considered fraudulent,” Tax Commission Chairman Jeff McCray said. “Taxpayers are legally obligated to report all income, even if it’s from illegal sources.”

The Tax Commission discovers tax crime by routinely analyzing tax returns, conducting tax audits, and through tips from law enforcement, other state agencies, and the public.

To report tax crime, email the Tax Commission’s fraud unit at fraud@tax.idaho.gov or complete the online fraud referral form at tax.idaho.gov/fraud. You can choose to remain anonymous.