CHICAGO — A suburban tax preparer who ran a business in Dolton, Illinois, has pleaded guilty to filing dozens of fraudulent tax returns, causing the IRS to lose nearly $915,000, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Byron Taylor, operator of We Are Taxes, admitted to submitting 54 false tax returns between 2015 and 2020, both for his clients and himself. The filings contained fabricated deductions, including:
- Bogus medical and dental expenses
- Nonexistent business losses
These false claims resulted in fraudulent refunds for his clients, while Taylor also underreported his own income, evading taxes for years.
PPP Loan Fraud Added to Charges
Taylor also defrauded the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic by submitting false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Authorities say he:
- Lied about income and operational status of several businesses
- Used PPP funds for personal expenses, including gambling
The Justice Department said some of these loan applications were successful, further compounding the financial damage.
Sentencing Set for November
Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4. He faces:
- Up to three years in prison for each type of tax offense
- Restitution payments to the IRS
- Additional financial penalties determined by the court
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge and Trial Attorney Boris Bourget, with investigative support from IRS Criminal Investigation.
“This case is a clear example of abuse of both the tax system and pandemic relief efforts,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the DOJ’s Tax Division…