Engineer Convicted Of Tax Fraud And Obstruction

Orlando, Florida - Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury found Daniel M. Metz (54, Oviedo) guilty yesterday of filing false claims and obstructing the IRS. Metz faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the false claims charge and a maximum penalty of three years for the obstruction charge. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 28, 2013, before Senior District Judge Gregory A. Presnell. Metz was indicted on August 19, 2012.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Metz's business account was the subject of an IRS civil audit in 2009. During the course of the audit, the auditor realized that Metz had not filed personal tax returns for years 2005, 2006, and 2007. After being told about the missing returns, Metz prepared the returns and attached false 1099s that he also had prepared. Metz then mailed the returns to the auditor. Suspecting that the 1099s were false, the auditor requested records from Metz's personal bank accounts. The banks confirmed that the 1099s were false. The personal returns were never processed. Had the returns been processed, Metz would have received approximately $330,344 in refunds from the IRS. Through various means, Metz tried to hinder the IRS's investigation, including filing a lawsuit against the IRS Commissioner and the special agent who was conducting a criminal investigation. That lawsuit was ultimately dismissed.

Evidence at trial also showed that Metz, in 2009, had filed personal returns using false 1099s, which canceled out almost $500,000 in tax debt he owed to the IRS.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tanya Davis Wilson.