BOISE - A federal grand jury indicted David Brannum, 55, of Washougal, Washington, and formerly of Caldwell, Idaho, for preparing false income tax returns, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.
Brannum operated a tax preparation business called “Dave’s Tax Service" in Idaho in tax years 2011, 2012, and 2013. The indictment alleges that Brannum falsified certain itemized deductions in his clients’ federal income tax returns to improperly decrease their tax liability and to inflate their tax refunds. Many clients were subsequently audited and paid back taxes and penalties. The indictment charges Brannum with thirty-one counts of aiding and assisting in the filing of false and fraudulent income tax returns.
Aiding and assisting in the filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns is punishable by up to three years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations division.
An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
