Rochester Tax Preparer Charged With Fraud

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Frank Wilson, 55, of Tonawanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with preparing fraudulent tax returns. The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of $100,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Wilson operated an income tax return preparation business in Rochester. The defendant prepared at least 18 false tax returns claiming total refunds of at least $90,508. The complaint further states that Wilson’s conduct appears to be related to much larger, nationwide fraud scheme involving approximately 3,529 false tax returns that sought a total of approximately $12,361,498 in fraudulent refunds. Many of the taxpayers who hired Wilson to prepare tax returns did not review their tax returns, did not know that the defendant had included fraudulent information on their returns, and did not receive any refund from Wilson as result of the fraudulent returns.

The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was released.

The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.