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Adam Mwanza Sentenced for Tax Fraud in Nebraska
A former Omaha tax preparer has been sentenced for his involvement in assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Adam Mwanza, 44, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison and ordered to pay a $1,300.00 special assessment.
On May 8, 2015, a federal jury convicted Mwanza of 13 counts of tax fraud. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations unit.
Mwanza was servicing a primarily immigrant client base in tax years 2007 and 2008. He would electronically file fraudulent returns falsely claiming rental deductions for what people were paying for their monthly rent expense and would fabricate Adjusted Gross Income amounts.
The effect of the fraud was to inflate the amount of the refunds the taxpayers received. ‘Today’s sentence demonstrates the importance of selecting a reputable tax preparer,’ stated Karl Stiften, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the St. Louis Field Office.
‘Ultimately, the taxpayer is responsible for the accuracy of their return, not the preparer. Don’t be tempted by a refund that is too good to be true.’
Mwanza was also ordered to serve a one year term of supervised release after his release from prison with one of the terms of his supervision being that he pay $297,556.00 in restitution.
The case serves as a reminder for taxpayers to be cautious when selecting a tax preparer and to ensure that their returns are accurate.
Key Facts
- State: Nebraska
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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