Jacksonville, Florida - A federal jury today found Adrian George guilty of conspiring to commit wire fraud and aiding in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent tax returns to the IRS, as well as multiple counts of aiding in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent tax returns. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
George was indicted on March 30, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, George owned and operated Professional Tax Service South, LLC, a tax return preparation firm in Jacksonville. He taught his employees various ways to include false information in tax returns to assure that his clients received large tax refunds. Acting at his direction, George’s employees offered to prepare fraudulent or “boosted" returns for clients in exchange for cash payments from the proceeds of the illegitimate tax refunds.
After being in business for less than two years, George and his employees had prepared and filed 748 tax returns for clients - all of which requested refunds. Typically only 62% percent of tax returns filed nationwide request refunds. The tax returns prepared and filed by George and his employees requested a total of approximately $3.2 million in refunds.
This case was investigated by IRS - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
