SALT LAKE CITY – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City has charged Paul Ben Zaccardi, a resident of Sandy, Utah, with a massive tax fraud scheme. Zaccardi is accused of submitting false claims for tax refunds and fictitious financial instruments, totaling over $1.5 million.
According to the indictment, Zaccardi filed fraudulent income tax returns for the years 1996 through 2000, seeking refunds to which he was not entitled. His scheme sought a grand total of $1,510,251. Additionally, the defendant submitted fictitious obligations to pay his tax debts, starting with a claim of $5 million in July 2008 and escalating to claims of $300 million each later that year.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt, and Zaccardi is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, he faces up to 100 years in prison for his fraudulent activities.
The investigation into Zaccardi’s scheme is being conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation, with the case being prosecuted by Tax Division Trial Attorneys Michael Romano and Stuart Wexler.
This is a stark reminder of the lengths some will go to defraud the United States government. The community is urged to remain vigilant against such crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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