Date: August 4, 2021 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov Springfield, MO — A Sparta, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for failing to pay more than $600,000 in federal taxes. Jeffrey Scott Allen was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Tuesday, Aug. 3, to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Allen to pay $758,517 in restitution. On September 1, 2020, Allen pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Allen admitted that he evaded, and failed to pay, $606,338 in federal taxes and $96,478 in state taxes from 2012 through 2017. Allen, who operates his own business, has worked as a successful installer for satellite-based internet and television for the past 21 years. According to court documents, he utilizes contract labor with five separate contractors, claims a gross annual profit of $2.1 million, and takes a $6,000 draw each month from the business. According to court documents, Allen substantially underreported net income from his business and paid most of his and his family's personal expenses from his business accounts. By underreporting his income, Allen was able to illegally receive federal benefits to which he was not entitled. Allen fraudulently received $15,856 in Medicaid benefits for three of his children, $4,392 in free and reduced school lunches for his children, and $35,453 in federal student aid under the Pell Grant program. Allen is required to repay federal and state agencies for those benefits under the court's restitution order. This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, Missouri Department of Revenue – Criminal Tax Investigation Bureau, Missouri Department of Social Services – Welfare Investigations Unit, U.S. Department of Education – Office of Inspector General, and USDA – Office of Inspector General.
