2 Georgians admit to New York film tax credit fraud scheme

Summary by The Atlanta Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Sam Sachs, WSB-TV (ABC) - News · July 23, 2026 · 4 min read

Two Georgia residents pled guilty in federal court to using online tax software to falsely claim film tax credits in the State of New York. The scheme involved Ryan Rugg and Joshua Jordan, both of Tifton, filing 22 fraudulent tax returns using online software, attempting to steal over $550,000 by...

Why this matters in The Atlanta

The guilty pleas of two Georgians in a New York film tax credit fraud scheme raise questions about the vulnerability of tax incentive programs in other states, including Georgia. As Atlanta continues to grow as a hub for film and television production, the city's own tax credit programs may be at risk of similar exploitation. The fact that 18 Georgia residents were involved in submitting fraudulent tax returns in New York suggests that the problem may be more widespread than initially thought. Local authorities should take note of the methods used by the perpetrators, including the use of online tax software to submit false claims, and consider implementing additional safeguards to prevent similar fraud in Georgia's own tax credit programs. By learning from the experiences of other states, Atlanta can work to protect its own taxpayers and ensure that tax incentives are used to support legitimate job creation and economic growth.

About this story

Original reporting by WSB-TV (ABC) - News. The Atlanta surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit WSB-TV (ABC) - News. Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: local · Published: July 23, 2026 · Source: WSB-TV (ABC) - News · Reading time: 4 min

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This article was first published on July 23, 2026 by WSB-TV (ABC) - News and curated for The Atlanta readers.

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Summary created by	The Atlanta Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Original reporting	Sam Sachs, WSB-TV (ABC) - News
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 23, 2026
Indexed here	Jul 23, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

2 Georgians admit to New York film tax credit fraud scheme

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