Nicholas Laws, Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation of a False Tax Return, North Carolina 2014

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Tax Cheat Takes a Fall

A Winston-Salem, North Carolina, tax preparer has been brought to justice for his role in a massive tax scam. Nicholas Laws, a former manager of the local branch of Tax Mind, pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return and filing a false personal income tax return.

According to authorities, Laws worked the scam from 2014 to 2019, preparing fraudulent returns for clients that reported false wages and business incomes to increase their refunds. In some cases, Laws charged additional fees to prepare these false returns, with some exceeding $1,000. Laws also filed a false personal income tax return for 2014 and failed to file tax returns for 2015 through 2019, despite having a legal obligation to do so.

The scope of the scam was staggering, with Laws intending to cause a tax loss to the IRS of $2,934,891. As part of his plea agreement, Laws agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $184,072.

Laws faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for assisting in the preparation of a false tax return and three years in prison for filing a false personal income tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan and Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cliff Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina.

The guilty plea is a significant blow to tax scammers and serves as a reminder that the IRS will not tolerate such behavior. The investigation and prosecution of tax crimes are a top priority for the government, and those who engage in such activities can expect to face serious consequences.