⏱ 2 min read
A brazen Peoria con man bilked the government out of $1.8 million in COVID tax credits by filing fake tax returns for two shuttered businesses he owned.
Leslie Victor Gentry, 54, pleaded guilty on April 8 to filing false claims for refund, admitting he submitted 14 phony Form 941 tax returns for tax years 2020 and 2021.
Gentry claimed his non-existent companies had paid out fake wages to imaginary employees, using the deceit to secure more than $1.8 million in COVID-related tax credits.
A conviction for Filing False Claims for Refund carries a maximum term of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and restitution to the IRS.
Sentencing for Gentry is scheduled for July 13, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Arizona
- Location: AZ
- Source: DOJ Press Release
