Brooklyn Park Tax Preparer Known As "Papa Eric" Sentenced to Two Years In Federal Prison

United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of ERIC WILLOR, 70, to two years in federal prison. WILLOR pleaded guilty on May 21, 2019, to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. WILLOR was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud in St. Paul, Minnesota.

According to his guilty plea and documents filed with the court, WILLOR, also known as “Papa Eric,” ran a tax preparation business called WILLOR’s Tax Preparation and Planning out of his home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. WILLOR regularly prepared and filed tax returns using false and fraudulent itemized deductions in order to fraudulently obtain large tax refunds to which his clients were not entitled. Specifically, WILLOR regularly prepared and filed returns falsely claiming that his clients had significant tax-deductible charitable contributions, medical expenses, and educational expenses. In reality, WILLOR knew that these claimed deductions were fraudulent. Between 2012 and 2017, WILLOR prepared and filed approximately 100 fraudulent tax returns that fraudulently claimed a total of approximately $316,000 in tax refunds to which his clients were not entitled.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

Defendant Information:                                                                                                                     

ERIC WILLOR, 70

Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Convicted:

• Aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return, 1 count

Sentenced:

• 24 months in prison
• 3 years supervised release
• $316,979 in restitution

 
  
###
 
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600