FAIRMONT — A federal court jury has convicted a Marion County tax preparer on 26 counts of filing false tax returns.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the trial of 56-year-old Jack Lee Oliver, of Rivesville. Oliver was found guilty by a jury for the preparation and filing of false tax returns. Oliver is the owner of an insurance sales and tax return preparation business known as Insurance Depot located in Fairmont.
“For tax years 2018 to 2020, the defendant Jack Lee Oliver fraudulently inflated his tax refund by claiming a foster child whose former foster parents were clients of the defendant Jack Lee Oliver,” the indictment states. “The defendant Jack Lee Oliver never served as a foster parent for the foster child, provided a residence for the foster child, paid expenses for the foster child, or even met the foster child.”
The evidence at trial established that Oliver prepared tax returns for clients claiming business losses for non-existent businesses without the knowledge of the clients. He also prepared returns for clients who did have businesses, but falsely inflated expenses to cause a business loss, again without the knowledge of the clients.
In both instances, his actions caused the clients to receive tax refunds to which they were not entitled. The evidence also demonstrated that Oliver, on his own tax returns, claimed the foster son of one of his clients resulting in thousands of dollars in refundable credits to which he was not entitled.
“Jack Oliver stole from American taxpayers when he falsified returns to benefit himself and others,” said U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “We will continue to crack down on anyone who attempts to game the system by falsely claiming losses, expenses, or dependents in order to obtain a bigger tax refund.”
The United States expects that the evidence at Oliver’s sentencing will establish that he caused a tax loss of more than $500,000. However, in prior court documents, federal officials stated that the fraudulent tax returns Oliver filed resulted in $800,000 in overpayments from the IRS.
Oliver is facing up to three years in federal prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod Douglas and Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The trial began last Tuesday and concluded with the verdict Oct. 21.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
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