New York, December 22 (IANS). A 56-year-old Indian-origin tax return preparer in the US state of Georgia has been sentenced to two years in jail after being found guilty of tax evasion.
Samir Patel, of Statesboro, was ordered to pay approximately $550,000 in restitution to the United States, pay a $95,000 fine and receive three years of supervised release after completing his prison term.
Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said, “Much of our nation's operating revenue depends on citizens' lawful participation in the income tax system, and those who shirk their responsibilities place a greater burden on everyone else.”
“This sentence reflects the significant consequences of attempting to cheat the system.”
Patel, a tax return preparer at a national return preparation business, purchased a franchise of the business in Claxton in 2015, according to court documents and testimony.
As owner, he hired, trained, and supervised tax preparers, and continued to prepare returns for clients.
However, Patel knowingly filed false income tax returns that did not include more than $1.28 million in income – including approximately $1.18 million from a company called S&W Amusements – and underreported his personal taxes for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017. escaped proper evaluation.
S&W Amusements placed coin-operated amusement machines in convenience stores and gas stations.
As part of his sentence, Patel is prohibited from preparing tax returns for others or for entities in which he has no interest during his period of supervised release.
–IANS
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