Detroit female rapper creme of the rap duo Deuces Wild was recently arrested for her role in a $27 million tax fraud scheme. She was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for her crimes as well as paying nearly $7 million in restitution.
According to reports, Creme (real name Sameerah Marrell) stole $8.5 million from the IRS and six states by claiming refunds she was never entitled to. She was able to avoid paying taxes for her work by posing as other people with stolen identities.
Sameerah “Creme” Marrel Arrested
Sameerah “Creme” Marrel, a 42-year-old rapper from Detroit, was arrested on Friday after being accused of filing fraudulent tax returns with stolen identities. Her arrest is in connection to a tax fraud scheme that involved her and her partner Noelle Brown, also known as Nikki Brown, who were originally arrested last year on July 2021 for aggravated identity theft, false claims, and conspiracy.
According to an unsealed complaint filed by the IRS, Marrel and Brown were involved in an elaborate scheme to file 122 tax returns from 2013 through 2017 to claim withholdings and refunds totaling more than $13.6 million. The complaint said the women forged trusts and filed them with the IRS as businesses, claimed withholdings, and then got refunds on those trusts’ behalf.
The women reportedly used loopholes to file the fake tax returns, and they created several businesses and 29 bank accounts. Some of the money was sent to a company they registered in Michigan called LJB Automotive, which is owned by Marrel.
One of the tax returns was filed under a woman named ‘AK’ and requested a $2.5 million refund from the IRS, according to court documents. The IRS paid out $462,601.
Another return was filed under the name of ‘JP’ and also requested a refund worth almost $2 million. The IRS paid out $462,601.
A third return was filed under a woman named ‘CH’ and asked for a $51,235 refund. That check was deposited into an account in her name, but she told the IRS that she had never opened the account.
Lastly, a woman named ‘KL’ also requested a refund for her and her husband. The money was deposited into their accounts and they kept $15,000.
The rap duo, known as Deuces Wild, was previously charged with aggravated identity theft and false claims. The pair had been released on bond while the case progressed.
In addition to committing tax fraud, the pair was also alleged to have committed a variety of other crimes, including robbery and extortion. They also had a history of missing mandatory pre-trial court appearances. They were also accused of stealing cars and jewelry from victims. The pair faces up to ten years in federal prison if convicted of the crimes.
Sameerah Marrel Pleads Guilty
Sameerah “Creme” Marrel, one-half of the Detroit-based rap duo Deuces Wild, is now behind bars after pleading guilty to a $27 million tax fraud scheme. The rapper, who was on the run, has been accused of filing 122 fraudulent tax returns that claimed withholdings and refunds from the IRS. She and her accomplice, Noelle Brown, were arrested last year after they were allegedly part of an elaborate scheme that targeted multiple trusts.
According to a new court filing, Marrel and Brown used stolen IDs to file a series of fraudulent tax returns. They also deposited tax refund checks into accounts in their names that were set up to hold money. The IRS alleges they were involved in a scheme to file a total of 122 fraudulent tax returns over a period of five years.
The pair reportedly also referred other people to the scam. A woman, who was identified as CH, told the IRS she was a friend of Marrel’s and that she had worked with Brown to apply for business grants. She said Brown referred her to Marrel, who asked her for her name, social security number and date of birth.
Later, Marrel deposited two checks for Clean Sleep Properties, a company that manages real estate properties, into her account. She also deposited another check made out to Lucid Communications, a company that provides communication services.
Investigators believe Marrel was posing as an employee of the company. She also contacted an attorney to try to get the business closed. But authorities say they didn’t find the business when they searched on October 7 at her home on West Nine Mile Road in Oak Park.
During the investigation, officers visited a wig shop that Marrel claimed she was working at and found no business operating there. The owner told them that a person would come to the building every couple months, but the place was vacant for about six months.
The agency also found Marrel rented apartments in the name of her ex-husband and used his social security number to open bank accounts, buy luxury cars and rent other property. The FBI also says she rented a UPS box and purchased expensive items, including jewelry.
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Sameerah Marrel Sentenced
Sameerah Marrel, aka Creme, is one of two Detroit rappers charged with stealing millions of dollars in tax refunds from the IRS. She is one-half of the female rap group Deuces Wild, and she was arrested last year alongside her groupmate Noelle Brown for allegedly using loopholes and businesses to claim millions of withholdings and refunds.
The two rappers were originally charged in July 2021 with aggravated identity theft and false claims. Authorities allege that the two women were involved in an elaborate scheme to fraudulently claim withholdings and refunds from 2013 to 2017. The pair filed 122 returns between them, opened 29 bank accounts and billed the government for almost $5 million.
Investigators say the duo was able to get away with their scam because of loopholes and businesses that they set up. According to court documents, during the period from 2013 to 2017, they utilized these claims to secure withholdings and refunds totaling over $13.6 million.
Special counsel Tyler Goodnight told the court that investigators discovered a shady business in which the two women filed false tax returns for real estate and trusts formed under corporations. These trusts involved other people and paid them out of the tax refunds issued. The documents also allege that Marrel used an Ohio license that matched her picture to open accounts, rent apartments, buy expensive items and deposit eight fraudulent tax refunds into her accounts.
In addition, she deposited two checks to companies that were not named in the court document. These checks totaled more than $60,000.
According to the document, Marrel deposited a check made out to Lucid Communications for $31,000 and another made out to Clean Sweep Properties for $57,000. These were among a total of 20 escrow tax refund checks that Marrel opened between December 29, 2014 and September 4, 2017.
The pair spent the money on lavish purchases and luxury cars. They also reportedly took a vacation to the Bahamas and paid for an expensive home in California.
The pair is awaiting trial, but they face up to ten years in prison if convicted. They are also accused of reselling stolen identities to others who then filed fraudulent tax returns for them.
Sameerah Marrel Released
The rap duo Deuces Wild consisting of Sameerah Marrel and Noelle Brown was recently charged with aggravated identity theft, false claims, and conspiracy. Both women were accused of stealing more than $5 million from the IRS in an elaborate tax fraud scheme.
Marrel, whose real name is Sameerah “Creme” Marrell, and Brown were arrested in 2021 after authorities found out that they had been using loopholes to scam the IRS. They filed 122 fraudulent tax returns and opened 29 bank accounts to claim refunds and withholdings.
Federal agents say that a woman who worked with Marrel, known as “CH,” tipped off the authorities to the crime. CH told authorities that she had been best friends with Brown since they were teenagers. She said that Brown told her that Marrel knew how to apply for business grants and would help her get one.
After CH’s name was tipped off to the scheme, she contacted the IRS. She gave them her name, social security number, and birth date. The authorities confirmed that her name was on a trust tax return that requested more than $51,000 in escrow refunds for Clean Sleep Properties. She also deposited two checks for more than $60,000.
In September 2018, the IRS contacted Goodnight and another agent to discuss the case. Goodnight was given CH’s initials and interviewed her. She said that she had been a friend of Brown’s for years and that she had been talking to Marrel about business grants.
When they showed her the forged tax returns, she said she did not sign them and that whoever did signed them with her name. She also said she did not know if the funds were going to be used for a business.
According to the complaint, the wig shop she claimed to be working at in Oak Park was not operational. It was vacant and had not been occupied for more than six months.
The judge revoked her bond and ordered her to remain in custody if she did not appear in court. She has missed several court dates and was declared a fugitive by the federal government. In addition, she has not returned any text messages or emails from her attorney. She has also failed to show up for mandatory pre-trial meetings with pretrial services.
