FALSE TAX RETURNS Lawrence County, Ohio, Man Facing Several Tax Fraud Charges
Reported by: Tiersa Davis
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Reported: Mar. 21, 2013 11:44 AM EDT
Updated: Mar. 21, 2013 1:13 PM EDT
Eyewitness News Photo
Cincinnati
, Ohio
A Lawrence County, Ohio, man is facing tax fraud charges in federal court.
Harold "Bucky" J. Shafer, 66, of Pedro was charged with 10 counts of aiding and assisting and two counts of filing false income tax returns in early March.
A federal grand jury indicted Shafer after he allegedly made false claims for customers on their taxes from his tax return business, according to a news release from U.S. District Attorney Carter Stewart. The indictment alleges Shafer would falsify tax returns to claim expenses and deductions that customers were not entitled to claim, the release said. Stewart said Shafer also allegedly filed false tax returns for two years on his business, claiming he only earned $426 one year and $1,101 the next year.
A conviction on each count of the indictment could result in a prison sentence for up to three years and a fine of $250,000. Shafer will be arraigned in federal court in Cincinnati on March 28.
The IRS criminal investigation field office in Charleston, W.Va., conducted the investigation.
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Tiersa Davis
