South Florida Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Preparing False Tax Returns and Identity Theft

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Larry J. Wszalek, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Matters, Tax Division, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announce that Rony Maurival, 39, of Fort Pierce, a tax preparer, pled guilty to preparing six false income tax returns. Specifically, Maurival pled guilty to four counts of filing false income tax returns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206, one count of theft of government funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641, and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A.

According to the indictment and Maurival’s admissions as part of his guilty plea, from July 2008 to March 2012, Rony Maurival owned and operated “RJ’s Tax & Services,” a tax return preparation business located in Fort Pierce. Maurival admitted to adding false wage and income information to his client’s tax returns in order to illegally maximize the earned income tax credit (EITC) claimed on their tax returns. The EITC is a refundable tax credit designed to assist low to moderate income taxpayers. Maurival agreed that his actions in this regard resulted in a tax loss to the IRS of between $1 million and $2.5 million.

Maurival also admitted to filing his own false 2009 and 2010 tax returns. Specifically, Maurival admitted to not reporting over $250,000 in tax preparation fee income earned through his business in those years.

Maurival further admitted to using stolen identity information to file false tax returns with the IRS in order to steal money from the United States. In doing so, he would direct the false tax refunds to bank accounts that he controlled.

As a result of his plea, Maurival faces a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine. Maurival remains detained pending sentencing, which was scheduled by the Court for January 27, 2015.

Mr. Ferrer and Mr. Wszalek commended the investigative efforts of the IRS-CI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Russell Killinger and Tax Division Trial Attorney Charles M. Edgar, Jr.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.