Pho Danh Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty To Filing False Tax Return

HOUSTON – Danh Ngoc Nguyen, co-owner of Pho Danh Restaurant in Houston, has entered a plea of guilty to filing of a false federal income tax return, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Lucy Cruz, special agent in charge of Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The plea was entered late yesterday.

Nguyen co-owned and operated a Pho Danh Restaurant at 11209 Bellaire Boulevard in Houston during 2003 through 2006. Nguyen admitted in the plea agreement to filing false federal income tax returns for the restaurant and for himself for each of those years that understated both the income of the restaurant and his personal income from the restaurant by approximately $240,356. As part of his plea, Nguyen has agreed to make full restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimated to be at least $526,157 and to remain subject to additional IRS assessments of taxes, interest and penalties due as result of these offenses.

U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes set a sentencing date of April 1, 2014, at which time Nguyen faces up to three years imprisonment and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. 

IRS-CI investigated and Assistant United States Attorney Jimmy Sledge Jr. is prosecuting the case.