Syracuse Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns for Herself and Others

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Phoenix Phan, age 62, of Syracuse, pled guilty today to filing a false tax return for herself and to aiding and abetting the filing of a false tax return for a client. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas Fattorusso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

As part of her guilty plea, Phan admitted that she failed to report gross receipts on her personal income tax returns for tax years 2013-2017.  She also admitted that she aided and assisted others in filing false federal income tax returns during the same time period, including by falsely reporting: (1) business income that the taxpayer did not earn; (2) rental losses; and/or (3) that the taxpayer had a filing status (e.g., head of household) that the taxpayer did not actually have.

Sentencing is set for November 30, 2021 before Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy.  Phan faces up to 3 years in prison on each count. The judge also could impose a term of supervised release of up to 1 year. In addition to imprisonment and supervised release, Phan faces a fine of up to $100,000 on each count and, as part of her plea agreement, Phan agreed to pay at least $222,999 in restitution to the IRS. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by IRS-CI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian.