A tax preparer and two employees, one of whom lists a Felton address, were indicted on charges related to the preparation and filing of tax returns.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael J. De Palma, special agent in charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
Olry Maurival, of West Palm Beach, FL, Paula Pognon, also of West Palm, FL and Amos Regusme, of Felton have been indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Maurival and Pognon have also been indicted for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, and Maurival has been indicted for filing false tax returns. Their initial appearances are scheduled for April 25 in West Palm Beach.
According to the allegations in the indictment, Maurival operated a tax preparation business where he, Pognon, and Regusme prepared taxes. From 2012 through 2015, they prepared and filed returns, which claimed a variety of credits and deductions for clients who were not eligible, including the Earned Income Credit, the Fuel Tax Credit, deductions for unreimbursed employee expenses, and deductions and credit for educational expenses.
In addition, Maurival underreported his gross earnings from the operation of his tax business on his personal tax returns.
If convicted, the defendants face maximum possible statutory sentences of five years in prison, for the conspiracy. In addition, Maurival and Pognon face maximum possible statutory sentences of 3 years in prison on each of the other counts.
