New Orleans Man Charged with False Statements on Individual Tax Return

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Today, CHRISTOPHER COBURN (“COBURN”), age 51, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged with making false statements on an individual tax return, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1), announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to the bill of information, COBURN willfully under-reported the gross receipts for his tax preparation business by approximately $30,311.39 for the calendar year 2017 on his United States Individual Tax Return, Form 1040.

If convicted, COBURN faces a maximum sentence of three (3) years of imprisonment.  Upon release from prison, COBURN also faces a term of supervised release for up to one (1) year, and/or a fine of $100,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571.  COBURN also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the work of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations on this matter.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.