A 59-year-old Union man admitted to preparing phony tax returns to help his clients get improperly large refunds on Thursday, Oct. 10, authorities said.
From tax years 2018 through 2021, Emmanuel Amenyo ran a tax preparation business in which he prepared and submitted individual tax returns to the IRS on behalf of clients, US Attorney Phillip Sellinger said.
Amenyo filed numerous false tax returns on behalf of his clients and subscribed to false tax returns with respect to his own taxes, Sellinger said. These tax returns falsely claimed charitable contributions, itemized deductions, child and dependent care expenses, and other qualified expenses to which Amenyo and his clients were not entitled, resulting in improperly large tax refunds, as Amenyo knew and intended, Sellinger said.
Amenyo's conduct caused a tax loss of $250,466, Sellinger said.
Amenyo, who pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return faces a maximum of three years in prison when he is sentenced next April, Sellinger said.