A federal grand jury sitting in West Palm Beach, Florida returned an indictment on Apr. 25, which was unsealed today, charging a Florida resident with corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws, filing false tax returns, theft of government property and money laundering, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to the indictment, David R. Andre of Boynton Beach, Florida, filed false income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from 2010 to 2015 that sought more than $5.6 million in fraudulent tax refunds. The indictment further alleges that the IRS paid out approximately $463,920, which was deposited into Andre’s personal bank account. Andre also allegedly attempted to impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws by making false statements to IRS agents during interviews in 2015. According to the indictment, Andre falsely stated to IRS agents that he purchased his residence with inheritance proceeds, when in fact he purchased it with illegal proceeds from the tax refund fraud.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Andre faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for corruptly endeavoring to impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws, three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return, 10 years in prison for each count of theft of government property, and 10 years in prison for each money laundering count. Andre also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, forfeiture and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Daniel McGraw and Charles Edgar Jr. of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida for its substantial assistance.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Source: US Department of Justice
