Retired CPA Sentenced to Prison for Failure to File Tax Returns

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Rocky E. Griffith, 63, of Destin, Florida, was sentenced today to 12 months and 1 day in prison and ordered to pay $78,804 in restitution to the IRS.  In May 2017, he pled guilty to failure to file tax returns.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Griffith worked as a certified public accountant for nearly 20 years.  After retiring from accounting, he ran charter boat and commercial rental businesses in the Destin area.  Following the BP oil spill in 2010, despite earning income from oil spill claims and rental properties, Griffith failed to file tax returns for the years 2010, 2011, and 2012.

This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.