DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TAX PREPARER PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY

WASHINGTON – Donald H. Roberts pleaded guilty today to conspiring to prepare false tax returns for clients at his Washington, D.C., business from 2004 through 2006, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

According to evidence presented at his hearing, Roberts owned and operated X-Press Refund Tax Service, located at 2642 12th Street NE, Washington, D.C., where Roberts and some of his employees knowingly prepared false and fraudulent tax returns for clients. The alleged false items on the returns included overstated Schedule A deductions, such as charitable contributions, unreimbursed employee expenses and vehicle expenses, incorrect filing status, and false Hope Education credits. Hope Education credits are tax credits available to college students in their first two years of college. In addition, evidence presented indicated that officers of the U.S. Capitol Police were among the clients who used X-Press Refund Tax Service.

Judge Emmet G. Sullivan scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2008. Roberts faces up to five years incarceration and a $250,000 fine.

“This is one more example of the Justice Department’s and IRS’s efforts to stop illegal tax preparer activity,” said Nathan J. Hochman, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “This also demonstrates why taxpayers should carefully review their individual income tax returns before signing and filing their returns with the Internal Revenue Service.”

“While the majority of return preparers provide excellent service to their clients, a few unscrupulous tax preparers file false and fraudulent returns to defraud the government and the tax paying public, including their own clients. Taxpayers should choose carefully when hiring a tax preparer,” said C. Andre’ Martin, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C., field office.

Assistant Attorney General Hochman and IRS Special Agent in Charge Andre’ Martin thanked the special agents of the IRS who investigated and prosecuted this case, along with Tax Division trial attorneys Karen E. Kelly, Patrick Murray and Mark Daly.

###

08-362