Former Washington, D.C., Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Preparing False Income Tax Returns

WASHINGTON – Onuoha “Iggy” Nwokoro pleaded guilty in federal district court in Washington, D.C., to willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false income tax return for 2004, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today.

According to court documents, from January 2005 through April 2007, Nwokoro operated BBC Tax Services, also known as BBC Tax and Medical Billing Services, a tax preparation business in Washington, D.C.  For tax years 2004, 2005 and 2006, Nwokoro prepared and electronically filed tax returns for his clients that included fictitious business income and expenses for what purported to be a computer systems business.  Nwokoro admitted to preparing at least 41 false returns, causing a tax loss of at least $532,939. According to the plea agreement, Nwokoro also admitted that his own 2004, 2005 and 2006 personal tax returns were false in that they under-reported his income by $585,537.

Judge Richard J. Leon, who is presiding over the matter, set a sentencing date of Nov. 18, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.  Nwokoro faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by IRS - Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Tax Division Trial Attorneys Jorge Almonte and Jeffrey B. Bender.  The case is CR-11-104.

Additional information about the Justice Department’s Tax Division and its enforcement efforts is available at www.usdoj.gov/tax.