Larry Couchot, Tax Evasion, Ohio 2024

CPA Pleads Guilty to Tax Charges in Ohio

Larry Couchot, a 59-year-old certified public accountant (CPA) from Dayton, Ohio, who is the president and part owner of an accounting firm in Centerville, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to tax charges. The Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced the guilty plea.

According to documents filed with the court, Couchot admitted to assisting in the preparation of false individual income tax returns for a group of individuals associated with the Cadillac Ranch restaurants, which caused a tax loss of over $191,000 to the IRS. This occurred during the tax years 2006 through 2010.

Couchot was aware that these individuals used a substantial amount of company funds to pay for personal expenses, including payments for their personal cars, car insurance, country club dues, personal credit card charges, and their individual income tax liabilities. He also knew that one individual used company funds to pay for other personal expenses, including lawn services, repairs and maintenance to personal residences, granite countertops, and TV and audio systems.

Couchot admitted to preparing false federal income tax returns that failed to report these items as income on two individuals' income tax returns. He pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false income tax return for the year 2009 for Jon Field and to preparing a false income tax return for Eric Schilder for the year 2007, which reported only $68,000 of income. In contrast, the business records of the company indicated Schilder earned over $129,000 in income in that year.

Couchot faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release for each of the two charges. The case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Richard M. Rolwing and Senior Litigation Counsel John E. Sullivan of the Justice Department's Tax Division.

The guilty plea is a significant blow to the accounting firm and its clients, who may have been affected by Couchot's actions. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of accurate and honest tax reporting.

Larry Couchot, a certified public accountant from Dayton, Ohio, pleaded guilty to tax charges in a federal court. He was the president and part owner of an accounting firm in Centerville, Ohio. The Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced the guilty plea.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/certified-public-accountant-associated-cadillac-ranch-restaurants-pleads-guilty-tax-charges