Kansas City, Kan., Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Returns

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City, Kan., tax preparer has pleaded guilty to preparing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

Ahferom Goitom, 35, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of preparing false tax returns. In his plea, he admitted that the crime occurred while he was working as a tax return preparer for Instant Tax Services in Kansas City, Kan. He prepared tax returns for clients that included false deductions and credits – often unbeknownst to his clients. He fabricated business expenses, inflated charitable deductions and exaggerated child care expenses. In addition, he told an IRS agent working undercover that the agent should find someone to claim as a dependent in order to inflate his refund.

Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. The parties are recommending probation of 36 months and restitution of $101,157. The Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.