Dunmore Tax Return Preparer Sentenced For Tax Evasion

   The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dominick J. Muracco, Jr., age 60, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court today before Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo for attempted income tax evasion regarding his 2008 federal income tax return. Muracco was sentenced to two months imprisonment, four months of home confinement and one year of supervised release. Full restitution was made prior to sentencing.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Muracco previously operated a business in Dunmore, Pennsylvania known as Automated Payroll and Tax Service (“APTS”) which prepared tax returns and represented taxpayers before the IRS. Muracco admitted that he filed a false personal income tax return for 2008 which omitted over $125,000 in taxable income and over $31,000 in tax. Muracco also admitted that for the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, he under-reported his income by over $276,000 and his tax by over $63,000. The unreported income came primarily from fees that Muracco charged APTS clients for tax program services.

     The case was investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS and was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Bruce Brandler.