Tucson, Arizona - The Justice Department announced Friday that a federal court in Arizona permanently enjoined a Tucson area tax return preparer from preparing federal income tax returns for others.
The civil complaint filed in the case alleged that Joseph Michael Vosberg included false business losses and charitable deductions on some of his clients’ returns. According to the complaint, Vosberg also allegedly instructed his clients to keep receipts from their day-to-day activities to document their false business expenses and charitable donations in the event of an IRS audit and not to cooperate with the IRS during civil audits. The complaint alleges that Vosberg’s fraudulent tax return preparation activities have caused significant harm to his customers, the United States, and the public at large.
Vosberg consented to the entry of a permanent injunction as part of his 2018 plea agreement with the United States in United States v Vosberg, CR 18-2527-RCC-EJM (D. Ariz.) (Dkt. No. 7). Under the terms of that agreement, Vosberg pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false federal income tax return.
“Return preparer fraud is a significant drain on the U.S. Treasury, and the Justice Department is committed to working with the IRS to bring enforcement actions against return preparers who prepare fraudulent tax returns,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard Zuckerman. “The Tax Division will use all available enforcement tools to hold dishonest return preparers accountable and protect the U.S. Treasury from further damage.”