PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania – In a shocking display of greed, Ephrem F. Lijalem, a 48-year-old resident of Carpentersville, Illinois, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the IRS out of $7.2 million in illegal tax refunds.
According to court documents, Lijalem operated Cititax Tax Refund stores in Pittsburgh, where he and his taxpayers regularly falsified Schedule C attachments to personal income tax forms, inflating income and altering expenses to maximize tax refunds for customers.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to Lijalem’s prosecution, highlighting the importance of vigilance in preventing tax refund scams.
Lijalem pleaded guilty to two counts of Aiding or Assisting in the Preparation or Filing of False Federal Income Tax Returns in federal court, where he faces a maximum sentence of six years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both.
Judge Marilyn J. Horan scheduled Lijalem’s sentencing for May 31, 2022, marking the culmination of a painstaking investigation that uncovered the extent of Lijalem’s tax refund scheme.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of tax refund fraud, with Lijalem’s actions resulting in a staggering loss of $7.2 million to the IRS.
Ephrem F. Lijalem, 48, Aiding or Assisting in the Preparation or Filing of False Federal Income Tax Returns, PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, 2022, Six years in prison, $500,000 fine, or both.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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