Suburban Chicago Tax Professional Admits Stealing More Than $1.1 Million in Client Funds

CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago tax professional has admitted in federal court that he fraudulently obtained more than $1.1 million from more than ten clients under the false pretense that the money would be sent to the IRS and state revenue authorities to satisfy tax liabilities.

ADAM R. OLIVA, 43, of Rolling Meadows, Ill., pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2024, to one count of wire fraud and one count of preparing a false tax return.  The wire fraud count is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the tax count carries a maximum sentence of three years.  U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood set sentencing for Jan. 24, 2025.

Oliva held himself out as a tax professional who did business under various names, including Oliva and Associates LLC and The Oliva Group LLC.  Oliva admitted in a plea agreement that from 2015 to 2020, he fraudulently induced the clients to provide him with money for the purported purpose of paying the clients’ income taxes.  Oliva instead kept the money for himself.  Oliva also admitted that he filed false tax returns on behalf of some of the clients, reflecting no or lower tax liabilities in order to make it less likely that the IRS would contact the clients about their unpaid tax liabilities.

The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, and Vincent R. Zehme, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick D. Young.

Earlier this year, Oliva pleaded guilty in a separate fraud case for duping investors who had provided him with money to fund purported short-term loans to clients.  Oliva promised the investors that they would receive returns of 10-20% on their investments.  In reality, Oliva never intended to make any short-term loans.  Instead, he pocketed the investors’ money and used it for personal expenses, including gambling, meals at restaurants, and retail purchases.  Oliva faces up to 20 years in prison in that case when he is sentenced on Oct. 18, 2024, by U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr.