Shelton Tax Preparer Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Preparing and Filing False Tax Returns

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BELLARMIN NAMEGABE, 47, of Shelton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Warren W. Eginton in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for preparing false tax returns.

According to court documents and statements made in court, NAMEGABE, while operating a tax preparation business based in Shelton, falsely reported expenses, deductions and credits on numerous clients’ tax returns without his clients’ knowledge or consent.  The false returns included fabricated Schedule A’s, Schedule C’s, number of dependents, fuel tax credits and other items.

As part of the investigation, special agents with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division interviewed 11 of NAMEGABE’s clients who stated that NAMEGABE had falsified their returns.  In addition, as part of an undercover operation, an agent simply dropped off his Form W-2 at NAMEGABE’s business, provided his name and some identifying information, such as his Social Security Number, and left.  With the information provided, the undercover agent was only entitled to a refund of $632.  Approximately two weeks later, the undercover agent’s return was posted to the IRS database.  The return was prepared falsely and generated a refund of $3,235.

On December 4, 2014, NAMEGABE pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return.

As part of his sentence, NAMEGABE is required to pay back taxes, penalties and interest related to the false tax returns he prepared during the 2007 through 2011 tax years for the 11 individuals who were interviewed as part of the investigation.  The tax loss attributed to those false returns is approximately $240,196.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.