Bloomfield, n.J., tax preparer sentenced to 18 months in prison
in tax fraud case
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
August 29, 2012 |
TRENTON, N.J. - A Bloomfield, N.J., tax preparer was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for preparing tax returns he knew were false in order to get his clients large refunds to which they were not entitled, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Rigot Joseph, 55, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to Count One of an Indictment charging him with aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false tax returns. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Joseph, the sole owner of RJM Professional Tax Services, aided and assisted in the preparation of tax returns that claimed fabricated and inflated Schedule A itemized deductions for his clients. Joseph met with clients at RJM Professional Tax Services in East Orange, N.J., where he prepared their tax returns for a fee. For filing years 2003 through 2007, Joseph prepared client tax returns that claimed deductions based on false gifts to charity, false job expenses and other false miscellaneous expenses, in order to obtain large refunds for his clients. He then filed the tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Joseph to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Victor W. Lessoff, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O’Leary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Lorraine S. Gauli-Rufo Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark, N.J.
