A former tax return preparer has been caught red-handed in a massive tax fraud scheme that duped the IRS out of nearly $300,000.
Joseph Korha, 51, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, pleaded guilty on June 3, 2024 to five counts of preparing false tax returns for clients in North Dakota.
According to court documents, Korha worked as a tax return preparer for a business located in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2019, he prepared and submitted more than 100 fraudulent returns for clients, many of whom resided in the Fargo area.
Korha claimed false tax credits and fictitious business profits and losses on these returns, which inflated his clients’ tax refunds. The total tax loss to the IRS is estimated to be approximately $294,000.
Korha is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, June 3, 2024, at 10 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Dominick Giovanniello of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Healy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota.
Key Facts
- State: North Dakota
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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