Former Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Tax and Bankruptcy Fraud

A former tax return preparer in Shawnee, Kansas, was sentenced to 24 months in prison yesterday for preparing a false tax return and making a false bankruptcy declaration, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister of the District of Kansas.

According to documents filed with the court, Geoffrey Rotich owned and operated Inventax, a tax preparation business in Shawnee, Kansas. For tax years 2010 through 2012, Rotich filed at least 40 fraudulent individual income tax returns in an effort to increase the claimed refunds for himself or his clients. Rotich also knowingly filed a fraudulent bankruptcy petition, which failed to disclose his interest in Inventax and to fully identify all of his bank accounts. 

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Crabtree ordered Rotich to serve two years of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $86,523 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney McAllister commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Timothy M. Russo of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Christopher Oakley of the District of Kansas, who prosecuted this case, and the U.S. Trustee’s Office in Wichita, Kansas for their substantial assistance.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.