PHILADELPHIA – Nvahbulai “Kosh” Quisiah, 44, of Philadelphia, is trading his tax forms for prison stripes. The owner of First Premier Tax Service (also known as Kosh & Associates) was sentenced to five years behind bars today after a jury found him guilty of a brazen scheme to defraud the federal government. U.S. District Court Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro also slapped Quisiah with three years of supervised release and a hefty $215,941 restitution order.
The feds, led by U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman, proved Quisiah operated his Woodland Avenue business as a criminal enterprise from 2010 through 2017. Evidence presented at trial revealed a systematic inflation of itemized deductions, the creation of entirely fake businesses on Schedule C forms, and the fraudulent claiming of false dependents – all designed to pump up tax refunds for clients who didn’t deserve them.
But the scam didn’t stop at inflated numbers. Quisiah actively bought and sold the personal identifying information of children, shamelessly exploiting minors to falsely claim them as dependents on tax returns. This wasn’t just about money; it was about stealing the futures of kids for a quick buck. “Today’s sentence is an appropriate reminder to tax preparers that attempting to defraud the federal government will result in serious consequences,” McSwain stated. “And here, the defendant’s actions will have ramifications for years to come because he stole the identities of children.”
The investigation, spearheaded by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, peeled back layers of deceit. Don Fort, Chief of IRS-CI, warned, “When return preparers put honest taxpayers and unsuspecting individuals at risk for a quick dollar, they can count on IRS-CI being on their tail.” The agents meticulously tracked Quisiah’s financial trail, exposing the full scope of his fraudulent operation.
Quisiah faced a litany of charges: preparing false tax returns, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. The conviction and subsequent sentencing send a clear message that the Department of Justice is taking tax crimes – especially those involving vulnerable populations – seriously. Zuckerman emphasized, “As today’s sentencing makes clear, corrupt tax preparers who falsify tax returns, and particularly those who exploit stolen minors’ identities to do so, will not go unpunished.”
Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Wzorek and Department of Justice Tax Division Attorney Ann M. Cherry were instrumental in securing the conviction and sentencing. This case is a stark reminder that even seemingly ‘white collar’ crimes carry severe penalties, and that federal agencies are working tirelessly to protect taxpayers and hold those who abuse the system accountable. Quisiah’s days of filing false returns are over; now, he’ll be filing for commissary privileges.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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