Chiropractor Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax Returns

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that PAUL CARPENTER, 65, of Easton, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to two months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for filing false tax returns.  Judge Bolden also ordered CARPENTER to perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $30,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, CARPENTER operated a chiropractic practice in Bridgeport.  For the 2008 and 2009 tax years, CARPENTER intentionally mischaracterized almost $500,000 in personal expenses as deductible business expenses on his Schedule C relating to his chiropractic practice, including college tuition for his children, luxury items such as oriental rugs and paintings, designer clothing, and foreign and domestic travel.  He also deducted the cost of groceries, expenses at hair salons and other retail purchases.

For the 2008 tax year, CARPENTER took false deductions totaling $308,084, resulting in a tax loss of $106,395, and for the 2009 tax year, he took false deductions totaling $183,283, resulting in a tax loss of $81,199.

CARPENTER has paid all back taxes, plus interest and penalties.

On May 20, 2016, CARPENTER pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.