Washington, D.C. Return Preparer Indicted for Tax Fraud

WASHINGTON—A District of Columbia grand jury today returned a 23-count indictment against Donald H. Roberts for conspiracy and assisting in the preparation of false U.S. individual income tax returns, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service announced today.

According to the indictment, Roberts owned and operated X-Press Refund Tax Service, located at 2642 12th Street NE, Washington, D.C. The indictment charges that Roberts and other unindicted co-conspirators who worked at the tax service knowingly prepared false and fraudulent tax returns for clients.

The alleged false items on the returns include overstated Schedule A deductions, such as charitable contributions, unreimbursed employee and vehicle expenses; incorrect filing statuses; and education credits.

If convicted of the charges, Roberts faces up to five years incarceration and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge, and up to three years incarceration and a $250,000 fine on each charge of assisting in the preparation of false U.S. individual income tax returns.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.