Fresno Man Indicted For Filing False Tax Returns Seeking More Than $600,000 In Refunds
FRESNO, Calif. — A grand jury indicted Mark Threet, 52, of Modesto, today, charging him with making a false claim for a tax refund, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, Threet filed more than 860 false tax returns for himself and others for the tax years 2008 to 2011. Each return included false statements regarding income, tax credits, and refund amounts. In sum, the returns claimed more than $600,000 was claimed for these false tax refunds.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick R. Delahunty is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Threet faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The charges against the defendant are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.