Two Baltimore Area Tax Preparers Guilty of Filing False Returns

BALTIMORE, Md. - Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh and Comptroller Peter Franchot today announced that two Baltimore-area tax preparers pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns.

Michael Anegbode, 29, of Windsor Mill, operated MK Tax Service. He pleaded guilty to three counts of filing false income tax returns and was ordered to pay $48,808 in restitution and serve three years' probation. Uwagbale Oigbokie, 39, of Baltimore, operated Jovan Tax Service. He pleaded guilty to two counts of filing false tax returns and was ordered to pay $81,712 in restitution and serve two years' probation.

Both Anegbode and Oigbokie prepared and filed false personal income tax returns which failed to reflect fees earned by filing false tax returns on behalf of numerous paying clients. Specifically, many of the tax returns filed on behalf of their clients included false information to fraudulently minimize the taxpayers' Maryland tax liabilities and increase the tax refunds the taxpayers received from the Comptroller.

"These tax preparers had a responsibility to file honest returns," said Attorney General Frosh. "They cheated twice. They falsely understated the taxes owed by their clients, and then they did not report the fees that they earned themselves. We will continue to pursue tax preparers and others who engage in this kind of fraud."

"Protecting Marylanders from unscrupulous tax preparers is a top priority for my office," said Comptroller Franchot. "Our Field Enforcement officers will continue to vigilantly investigate those who try to cheat our state and I want to thank the Attorney General's Office for its partnership and its efforts prosecuting these cases."

The case was investigated by the Comptroller's Field Enforcement Division and prosecuted by the Criminal Investigations Division of the Maryland Attorney General's Office.