Christopher Jones, Tax Evasion, Pennsylvania 2021

HARRISBURG, Pa. - With the deadline for filing federal individual income tax returns having been extended to May 17th, 2021, and taxpayers now preparing to file their tax returns, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, jointly announced a warning to those who are thinking about breaking the law by committing tax crimes.

Willfully filing false tax returns or deliberately evading paying taxes are serious criminal offenses and can result in prison and substantial fines and penalties.

“Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously stated that taxes are what we pay for a civilized society and those words are even engraved on the exterior of the IRS building in Washington D.C.,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler. Those who fail to pay their fair share of taxes not only cheat the government out of much needed revenue that finances our military, health programs, and public works projects, but also cheat their fellow citizens who are forced to carry more than their share of the burden.

“Tax fraud schemes, such as employment tax fraud, refund fraud, and identity theft harm everyone,” said IRS Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso. “These schemes serve no purpose except to defraud the IRS and the American Public. Would-be tax cheats are reminded that IRS-CI uses all its investigative tools to uncover and put a stop to such fraud.”

Christopher Jones, a 54-year-old Old Forge man, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay $117,370 in restitution for tax evasion. Jones failed to report over $500,000 in taxable income between 2014 and 2019 to avoid paying federal income taxes. Jones failed to report income he gained from illegal bookmaking activities and made false statements to federal agents in February 2019 during the investigation.

The investigation was conducted by the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John G. Groninger.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted a broad array of tax offenses including tax evasion, employment tax fraud, and refund fraud. Enforcement efforts are continually ongoing. Here are a few recent examples:

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/us-attorney-and-irs-warn-potential-tax-cheats-timely-file-accurate-and-complete-tax-1