Kingsport woman guilty of pandemic related fraud

A Kingsport woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud through her role in submitting false claims to receive COVID-19 employment tax credit refunds. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for East Tennessee said 35 year old Aylissa Glidewell entered a guilty plea Wednesday in Greeneville. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Glidewell and others conspired to file false tax returns to receive funds that Congress had allocated for struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Total refunds claimed by Glidewell were more than $3.4 million, of which nearly $1.8 million were paid to her. Glidewell’s sentencing hearing will take place in Greeneville on July 9.