Tax Agency Owner Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Tax Fraud Crimes

Tax Agency Owner Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Tax Fraud Crimes

Tax Fraud Crimes

The owner of a popular tax agency plead guilty in a federal court to several tax Fraud violations that were carried out in several offices across Alabama and Georgia.

Bruce King, owner and operator of tax preparation agency Premier Tax, plead guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and filing false tax returns, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. In addition, Vonecia Orum also plead guilty to submitting falsified tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service.

Nine other defendants were also convicted of their complicity in the crimes. According to court documents, King held training sessions with employees on how to falsify tax returns to fraudulently secure larger returns for customers. Those workers who participated in the scheme filed several false returns, leading to a total loss of more than $1 million.

In addition, evidence reveals that some of the Premier Tax workers also used false dependents on tax returns. For example, a common scenario included using customers’ personal information without their consent to list them as dependents on clients’ tax returns. The workers who engaged in this crime are also facing identity theft charges in addition to falsifying returns and committing fraud.

Only six workers were included in the original 28-count indictment that was returned on March 28. In July and August 2011, three other employees pleaded guilty to criminal information that charged them with filing false returns.

The Justice Department has not yet released the sentences of the defendants involved in the case, or clarified about whether the investigation is ongoing.