Waterbury Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that MICHAEL D. MIR, 41, of Waterbury, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to a federal tax offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, MIR prepared more than 3300 federal tax returns for the 2012 through 2015 tax years through a tax return preparation practice he operated in Waterbury.  MIR falsified information on numerous returns that he prepared for clients by fabricating business expenses, or by inflating deductible medical and dental expenses.  For the 2012 through 2014 tax years, MIR deposited more than $400,000 in income generated by his tax preparation business into his personal bank account.  However, MIR did not report any income from his tax preparation business on his 2013 personal income tax return, and he reported only $18,500 in income from his tax preparation business on his 2014 return.  MIR did not file a personal income tax return for 2015.

Through MIR’s preparation of false tax returns, and the underpayment of his own taxes, the government lost a total of $406,679.

MIR pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years, a fine of up to approximately $800,000, and restitution.  Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for June 1, 2018.

MIR’s clients are required to resolve their own tax liability with the Internal Revenue Service.

This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.