BRISTOL WOMAN CHARGED IN 20 COUNT INDICTMENT WITH
PREPARING FALSE TAX RETURNS

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DONNA ZADORA, age 52, of 139 Ridge Road, Bristol, Connecticut, appeared in federal court in Hartford today on charges contained in an indictment returned by a grand jury sitting in New Haven on April 15, 2003. The indictment, which was unsealed today, charges ZADORA with twenty counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false income tax returns. ZADORA pleaded not guilty to the charges during her arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas P. Smith.

Specifically, the indictment alleges that ZADORA, prepared federal tax returns for individuals in exchange for payment of a fee. The indictment alleges that in the course of preparing those federal tax returns, ZADORA improperly reduced the amount of tax due for numerous taxpayers in a variety of ways, including falsely claiming deductions for medical expenses, charitable contributions, real estate taxes, job expenses, and personal property taxes, as well as falsely claiming business profits and losses and falsely claiming alimony payments. Specifically, the indictment alleges that ZADORA prepared false tax returns for 11 clients during 1998 and 1999.

.U.S. Attorney O'Connor stated that "our system of Government depends on the honest reporting of tax liability and payment of taxes. Those who seek to avoid paying their income taxes and those who assist others to avoid paying will be investigated vigorously and prosecuted."

If convicted, ZADORA could face imprisonment for as long as three years, and a fine of as much as $250,000, on each of the 20 counts charged in the indictment.

United States Attorney O'Connor stressed that an indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the Government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric J. Glover.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Delcie Thibault
Public Information Office
(203)821-3722 Office
(203)627-1082 Cell