Timothy Smith, a tax preparer from Winter Haven, has been sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding in the filing of false tax returns. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday also ordered Smith to pay $1,637,829.64 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and forfeit $274,000 in proceeds gained from his criminal activities.
Smith pleaded guilty on September 26, 2025. According to court documents, between January 2023 and February 2024, he prepared or assisted with 97 fraudulent tax returns for 92 taxpayers—including himself—for the 2022 and 2023 tax years. The fraudulent returns included falsified Schedules A, C, and 1 as well as fake Forms W-2G that reported fabricated gambling winnings, losses, and withholding amounts. These actions resulted in refund requests that were not legally justified.
The IRS determined that while the intended loss from these false filings was over $17 million, the actual loss amounted to more than $1.6 million paid out either as refunds or credits against prior debts. Smith personally received $274,000 from clients involved in the scheme.
Smith is the fourth person sentenced in connection with this case. Others include Jeffrey Dixon (sentenced to four years and nine months), Sean Laster (five years and three months), and George Tucker (seven years and six months). Restitution orders for these individuals ranged from about $1.6 million up to more than $15 million.
“These defendants orchestrated a deliberate scheme to steal from American taxpayers,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Florida Field Office. “Their calculated, malicious conduct showed complete disregard for the rule of law. These sentences affirm a core principle: those who abuse our tax system for personal gain will be held accountable. IRS Special Agents continue to safeguard the integrity of the tax system and deliver justice for American taxpayers.”
The cases were investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation agents and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Roberts and Jennifer Peresie; forfeiture proceedings are being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys James Muench and Suzanne Nebesky.
