Nevada T. Beard, Tax Fraud, North Carolina 2016

NEW BERN – A former Raleigh resident was handed a 24-month prison sentence for orchestrating a massive tax scam that left nearly $300,000 in losses for the US Treasury.

Nevada T. Beard, 45, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard in Federal court yesterday. Beard will serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.

Beard, owner of ‘Beard Tax Solutions,’ operated a tax preparation business out of his Raleigh residence between 2013 and 2015. He generated customers through word-of-mouth, referrals, and direct solicitations, collecting their personal information to prepare and file false tax returns using TurboTax.

Beard deliberately inflated tax refund amounts by incorporating false W-2 wages, household help income, and other fabricated items, all while concealing his identity as the preparer. The IRS investigation uncovered over 100 false returns, resulting in a staggering $300,000 in tax losses.

This is not Beard’s first run-in with the law; he was on federal supervised release for a prior firearms conviction in the Eastern District of North Carolina during the 2013 tax filing season.

Assistant United States Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case, while Michael C. Daniels, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office, warned those considering tax scams that ‘the extremely negative consequences’ of such actions will be met with aggressive pursuit by the IRS and US Attorney’s Office.

Beard’s scheme serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of tax-related crimes on the nation’s economy. As tax season unfolds, authorities urge citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

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