Owner of New York Tax Preparation Business Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to File False Returns | WPN World People News

A Queens, New York return preparer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing false returns, on July 30, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Richard Barker owned and operated a tax return preparation business under the names Tax Depot Inc. and KPS Kampant, Parkinson, Sinclair & Co. Inc. From 2011 through 2017, Barker conspired with other individuals to file returns for clients falsely reporting significant tax withholdings, in an effort to fraudulently inflate refunds from the IRS. Barker also admitted that he filed returns for himself, a coconspirator, and others, claiming more than $530,000 in fraudulent refunds from the IRS. In all, Barker caused a loss of at least $460,000 to the United States.

U.S. District Judge Eric R. Komitee will schedule sentencing a later date. At sentencing, Barker faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Barker also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

Barker was previously charged in a January 2020 indictment alleging that Barker and two associates, Ricardo Andujar and Jose Andreu, conspired to defraud the United States. Andreu was also charged with filing false returns for himself, claiming approximately $182,000 in fraudulent refunds. Andreu’s case is pending. Andujar remains at large.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice