⏱ 2 min read
A 65-year-old Bellevue tax preparer, Thanjavur Manavalan, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for falsifying tax returns, cheating the system out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Manavalan, the owner of Mano Accounting Services, falsified charitable contributions, investment proceeds, business losses, and other items on clients’ tax returns. The scheme, which lasted for years, attracted clients from the tech field, many of whom were originally from India and trusted Manavalan to handle their taxes. The fraud was uncovered when the IRS showed up at his doorstep. Manavalan’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of his conduct and underscores the commitment to holding tax professionals accountable.
Manavalan’s tax preparation business filed thousands of returns and grew substantially over the course of the fraud. He deliberately violated the trust placed in him by his clients and community, according to Carrie Nordyke, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd stated that Manavalan lined his pockets and grew his business by filing fraudulent tax returns on behalf of his clients.
U.S. District Judge Lauren King said Manavalan showed “complete disrespect for the law” and that the scheme was a “long standing fraud that ended only when the IRS showed up at your front door.” The sentencing is a result of an eight-day jury trial in March 2026, where Manavalan was convicted of three counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false tax returns.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Washington
- Location: WA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
