Tax Preparer Guilty

⏱ 2 min read

Subhala Suresh, a Texas tax preparer, has pleaded guilty to filing false federal tax returns on behalf of clients in Austin, Texas. From January 2019 to October 2022, Suresh worked at a tax preparation firm where she prepared false returns that included fake expenses, reducing the taxes her clients owed to the IRS. As a result, her clients received refunds they weren’t entitled to, causing a tax loss of $250,000 to $550,000.

Suresh’s plea is part of a larger scheme that involved three other Texas return preparers: Mathews Chacko, Anish Pillai, and Mou Kundu. Chacko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, causing a total tax loss of $3.5 million to $9.5 million. Pillai and Kundu also pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns, causing losses of $1.5 million to $3.5 million and $250,000 to $550,000, respectively.

Suresh pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, as well as supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. The case is being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by the Department of Justice’s Tax Section.

The guilty pleas of Suresh and her co-defendants demonstrate the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to crack down on tax crimes in Texas. The case serves as a reminder that tax preparers who engage in fraudulent activities will be held accountable for their actions.