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Defendant Name, Crime, State Year
Mathews Chacko, a Texas tax preparer, has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing false federal tax returns on behalf of clients. This plea follows recent guilty pleas of two other Texas return preparers who admitted to filing false tax returns as part of the same scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately January 2019 to October 2022, Mathews Chacko conspired with others to file returns for clients that contained false business expenses. These false expenses artificially reduced the taxes that Chacko’s clients owed to the IRS, enabling them to receive refunds to which they were not entitled.
At times, Chacko and his co-conspirators included false business expenses on client returns without their clients’ knowledge, then provided false explanations to clients justifying the false items. At other times, Chacko and his co-conspirators informed clients by email that they were submitting false information to the IRS.
Chacko admitted to causing a tax loss to the United States exceeding $3.5 million but less than $9.5 million. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the IRS and will face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. His sentencing is set for a later date.
In related cases, Anish Pillai and Mou Kundu, two other Texas return preparers, have also pleaded guilty to committing federal tax crimes. Over the same period, from approximately January 2019 to October 2022, Pillai and Kundu prepared federal tax returns for clients that included materially false items, resulting in clients receiving refunds larger than they were entitled to receive.
Pillai admitted that he caused approximately $1.5 million to $3.5 million in losses to the United States, while Kundu admitted to causing between $250,000 and $550,000 in losses. Both Pillai and Kundu face maximum penalties of three years in prison for helping clients file false tax returns.
The cases are being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Marissa R. Brodney and Michael L. Jones of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section.
A federal district court judge will determine the sentences for all three individuals after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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