Hayward Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty To Preparing False Tax Returns

OAKLAND – Runnveer Singh pleaded guilty today to aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez.

In pleading guilty, Singh, 53, of Hayward, admitted he has prepared tax returns for approximately six years from 2008 through 2013.  He obtained clients from the local Fijian community and prepared thousands of tax returns during that period.  Singh prepared tax returns for the tax years 2009 through 2011 that claimed both false and ineligible deductions and credits including unreimbursed employee expenses, charitable deductions, Schedule C expenses, education credits and personal property tax deductions.  By including both false and ineligible items on his clients’ tax returns, Singh caused at least $130,435 in inflated tax refunds to be issued.

On November 14, 2012, during the execution of a search warrant at his home, Singh admitted to IRS Special Agents that he knowingly prepared false tax returns in order to obtain returning customers.  Then, after the search warrant was executed, Singh instructed one of his clients to submit both false and ineligible information to an IRS Revenue Agent during the audit of the client’s 2010 income tax return.  Singh admitted he did so in an attempt to justify both false and ineligible business expenses on his client’s 2010 tax return.

Singh was charged in an indictment filed on March 25, 2014 with 24 counts of aiding and assisting in filing false tax returns, in violation of Title 26, U.S.C § 7206(2).  He pleaded guilty to one count.  Singh’s sentencing is scheduled for July 31, 2015 before the Honorable Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge in San Francisco.  The maximum penalty for one count of assisting in filing tax returns in violation of Title 26, U.S.C § 7206(2) is three years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Assistant US Attorney Thomas Moore is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.