A Grand Prairie man was sentenced 57 months in federal prison for his role in a more than $2.8 million tax return preparation scheme, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Oma Michel Ungu, 61, pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiring and aiding in the preparation of a false tax return. He was sentenced Tuesday morning by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means.
“When our tax laws are ignored, especially by those trained as professionals, everyone loses,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “We are committed to protecting the integrity of our tax system by giving taxpayers confidence that everyone plays by the same rules. Tax return preparers who exploit their clients and the tax system to file fraudulent returns will be prosecuted and held accountable for their criminal conduct.”
“Return preparer fraud is a priority for IRS Criminal Investigation and we have committed many resources to investigating and prosecuting cases just like these,” said Kevin Caramucci, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “Taxpayers should be selective in choosing a return preparer, and have confidence knowing that person will prepare accurate tax returns and safeguard their financial information.”
According to plea papers, between 2013 and 2016, Mr. Ungu admitted that Super Professional Tax Services, which he owned and operated, prepared and filed false tax returns on behalf of its clients. Mr. Ungu admitted he personally prepared a tax return in 2015 that claimed that one of his clients had significant unreimbursed business expenses which provided the client a with substantial reduction in his taxable income. Mr. Ungu knew the client was not entitled to claim a deduction for unreimbursed business expenses.
A former employee of Mr. Ungu, Robert Poteet previously pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns in January 2019 and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.
The defendants are jointly and severally liable for more than $2.8 million in restitution.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. Allen is prosecuting this case.
