Matthew Bender, Failure to Appear at Bond Hearing, Michigan 2013
Convicted Tax Preparer Flees Court Appearance
Matthew Bender, a Detroit tax preparer with a history of run-ins with the law, has been found guilty of failing to appear at a bond hearing on July 2, 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
According to evidence presented at the trial, Bender attended a family reunion in Ohio and flew to Texas in the summer of 2013, all while a warrant was out for his arrest. He was eventually apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service on August 13, 2013.
This is not the first time Bender has faced the law. In March 2014, he was convicted by another Detroit jury of obstructing the IRS and nine counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false federal income tax returns. It was discovered that Bender prepared over 3,000 tax returns between 2006 and 2011 and earned over $500,000 in tax preparation fees. However, he failed to report his own income to the IRS, either by filing false tax returns for himself or by failing to file his own tax returns at all.
The evidence showed that Bender caused his customers' tax refunds to be inflated by placing false deductions on their returns. Following his most recent conviction, Bender remains detained pending sentencing for his convictions.
The case was investigated by special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Trial Attorneys Kenneth Vert and Jeffrey McLellan for the Justice Department's Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Bender's actions have left a trail of deception and financial loss for his customers. His failure to appear at the bond hearing has now led to another conviction. While he awaits sentencing, it remains to be seen how long he will face behind bars for his crimes.
Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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