Seabrook Man Pleads Guilty To Paying Bribe To IRS Agent

CONCORD, NH –Hoang O. Hoang, 45, of Seabrook, pled guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to charges that he paid a bribe to an agent of the Internal Revenue Service, announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas.

       On December 9, 2011, Hoang met with an IRS Revenue Agent, who was conducting an audit of a nail salon business in Newington owned by Hoang.  Over the course of multiple conversations, Hoang offered to pay the agent personally, not the IRS, $4,000 if the agent could reduce the business’ tax liability.  On January 12, 2012, Hoang met with and paid the IRS agent $2,295 for the purpose of corruptly influencing the agent in the exercise of his official duties, specifically the outcome of the agent’s IRS audit of Hoang’s business.

Hoang is facing a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2013.

The case was investigated by the office of the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen.