Washington CPA Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns

A Spokane, Washington, certified public accountant pleaded guilty today to three counts of making and subscribing false corporate income tax returns announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Michael C. Ormsby for the Eastern District of Washington.

Roger Stadtmueller, 53, admitted owning Zazz Inc., a corporation under which he provided accounting and consulting services, including income tax preparation, bookkeeping and financial auditing for clients.  Stadtmueller admitted that he made and subscribed false and fraudulent corporate tax returns for Zazz for the calendar years 2006, 2007 and 2008, by understating Zazz’s gross receipts by approximately $1.8 million.

Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 11 at 2:30 p.m. Stadtmueller faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison and financial penalties for each of the three counts of filing false corporate tax returns.  Stadtmueller also agreed to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $400,000.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Ormsby commended special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Senior Litigation Counsel Corey J. Smith and Trial Attorneys Lisa L. Bellamy and Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.