Mark Edwards, 61, of Danbury, pleaded guilty on Mar. 9 before U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to aiding in the preparation of a false tax return, according to an announcement by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address tax fraud and ensure compliance with income reporting requirements.
Court documents show that Edwards has owned and operated Mark Edwards Roofing and Siding, LLC since around 1998. Beginning at least as early as 2018, he failed to keep accurate business records or perform proper bookkeeping. During the preparation of his income tax returns for the years 2019 through 2023, Edwards provided his preparer with handwritten figures that significantly underreported his business income.
Prosecutors said that this conduct led to underreporting gross receipts by at least $1.3 million over those years and resulted in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service totaling $368,334.
Edwards faces a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment for aiding in the preparation of a false tax return. He is currently released on a $50,000 bond while awaiting sentencing; no date has been scheduled yet.
The Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation into this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser is prosecuting the case.
