ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Chauncee McFarland, 35, and Kenyatta Hubbard, 32, both of Rochester, N.Y., have been charged in a 74-count indictment with conspiring to defraud the United States by submitting false income tax returns, and with submitting false income tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that Chauncee McFarland owned and operated McFarland Tax Company, a tax return preparation business. Hubbard was employed by McFarland. Together, the two defendants conspired to abuse the Earned Income Tax Credit by submitting false income tax returns and fake Forms W-2 on behalf of their clients. According to the indictment, the defendants prepared and submitted 73 fraudulent income tax returns, netting more than $442,000 in criminal proceeds. McFarland and Hubbard kept approximately half of the money for themselves, and gave the remainder to their clients.
The indictment is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Weirauch.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
