Glen Burnie Attorney Admits To Filing Fraudulent Tax Returns

Baltimore, Maryland – Maryland attorney Don F. Lindner, age 61, of Severna Park, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return.

The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Kelly of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

"As tax season approaches, this case should be a reminder to everyone about the consequences of tax fraud," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.

“As an attorney, Mr. Lindner is well educated regarding his federal income tax obligations, making his actions even more egregious,” said Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Washington D.C. Field Office.  “Today’s plea should be a warning to others that IRS Criminal Investigation is focused on those that intentionally underreport taxable income.”

According to his plea, Lindner practiced law in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and treated his law practice as a sole proprietorship. For his tax returns for 2007 and 2011, Lindner omitted $1,230,614 of gross receipts from his law practice.  Lindner also maintained a rental property.  Lindner falsely reported on his tax returns that he paid over $82,700 in repairs on the rental property during the same tax years, when in fact no repairs were done, thereby fraudulently decreasing his purported taxable income.

Lindner has agreed to pay restitution of $341,730 to the IRS for the tax years 2007 to 2011, which is the total amount of taxes he owed as a result of falsely reporting gross receipts and rental expenses.

Lindner faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles Jr. scheduled sentencing for May 13, 2015, at 10:00 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant United States Attorney David I. Sharfstein, who is prosecuting the case.