UPDATE – Hernando County Woman Arrested on I.D. Theft Charges

On 08-21-15, Detective Bill Horvath attended the sentencing phase of the federal case against Bertha Hart for Federal Income Tax Fraud. The hearing took place at the Federal Court House for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa.
Hart was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison. When she is released, she will serve three years of probation. Hart was also ordered to pay restitution.
At the conclusion of the sentencing, the federal judge immediately ordered the U.S. Marshals to take Hart into custody, and for her to be held until placed in federal prison.

Original Information – December 2014
A joint investigation involving members of the Tampa Bay Identity Theft Alliance concluded last week with the arrest of Hernando County resident Bertha Nathalie Hart, B/F 9-8-71, who was tracked down by authorities in Dallas, Texas.
Hart is the second Hernando County resident indicted and arrested in conjunction with this investigation.
Hart faces a maximum of 10 years on each of four charges of theft of government property, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Hart is accused of scheming with others to steal $35,000 from the U.S. government using stolen identities.
The agencies involved in this investigation, including the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, are members of the Tampa Bay Identity Theft Alliance, whose mission is to coordinate police efforts to prosecute individuals that target citizens for criminal financial gain.
Several local law enforcement officers have been specially deputized to assist the Internal Revenue Service in the investigations involving S.I.R.F. (Stolen Identity Refund Fraud).