Markenzy Lapointe U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
Juan Mendieta, a resident of Miami-Dade County, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. The sentencing took place on January 6, following his guilty plea in October 2024. Mendieta was charged with one count of criminal conspiracy and four counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns.
The fraudulent activities began in 2019 and continued through at least 2023. During this period, Mendieta collaborated with others to prepare false tax returns for clients by reporting fictitious business losses and expenses. These actions resulted in inflated federal tax refunds. For several clients, Mendieta prepared two sets of tax returns. One set directed refunds from the IRS to the clients, which he misrepresented as being filed with the IRS. Instead, he submitted a second set that directed larger refunds to bank accounts controlled by him and a co-conspirator.
The IRS identified at least 29 fraudulent tax filings submitted by Mendieta on behalf of at least 13 clients during the conspiracy period. Consequently, the IRS is entitled to over $11 million in restitution due to these fraudulent activities.
The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael S. Davis for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office. The case was investigated by the IRS-CI Miami Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Koffsky and Katherine Guthrie.
Further information regarding this case can be found on the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida's website or through related court documents available on the District Court for the Southern District of Florida's website under case number 24-cr-20320.
