San Angelo Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison for Filing False Income Tax Returns

LUBBOCK — Ai Shu Cheng, 52, of San Angelo, Texas, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 36 months in federal prison last week, following his guilty plea in December 2016 to two counts of filing a false income tax return, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

In addition, Judge Cummings ordered that Cheng pay $1,767,566.46 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Judge Cummings ordered Cheng to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on May 26, 2017.

According to documents filed in the case, in 2011 Cheng filed an individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, for the tax year ending December 31, 2010 and under-reported his total income. Cheng reported a total income of $208,652.00. Cheng’s actual income was approximately $696,148.68, resulting in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of approximately $165,108.00.

In 2013, Cheng filed an individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, for the tax year ending December 31, 2012 and again under-reported his total income. Cheng reported a total income of $186,486.00. Cheng’s actual income was approximately $600,976.82, resulting in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of approximately $145,072.00.

Each of these income tax returns contained a written declaration that the tax return was made under penalty of perjury.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Cruce-Haag prosecuted.

# # #