Sacramento Man Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Tax Preparation Fraud

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — William G. Green, 49, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution to the IRS for assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to court documents, while Green prepared tax returns at a Sacramento business called “Will the Tax Man” from 2007 to at least April 2011, he knowingly placed false information on his clients’ returns to increase their refunds or reduce their taxes owed. The false information that Green added included false charitable contributions in large round numbers to charities like Goodwill Industries, AMVETS, and United Cerebral Palsy, and other deductions and credits related to education and business expenses. The false deductions and credits were not based on information provided by Green’s clients, and Green typically did not inform his clients that these false deductions and credits had been added. Green’s conduct resulted in a total tax loss of approximately $482,000.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher S. Hales prosecuted the case. Trainer