Date: September 30, 2022 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov Kyle Self has been sentenced for defrauding the IRS through the submission of false tax returns on behalf of clients. "Kyle Self scammed the American taxpayers to enrich himself by illegally inflating the amount of tax refunds due to his clients," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. "This case serves as a stark warning to other corrupt tax preparers that we will find and prosecute those who exploit the tax system for their personal gain." "By submitting fraudulent tax returns Self took advantage of the tax system ultimately for his benefit," said IRS-Criminal Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette. "IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to investigating tax fraud and other financial crimes and making sure those who abuse the tax system to enrich themselves are brought to justice. We also want taxpayers to choose their tax preparer wisely and look for preparers that will review the return with you. Taxpayers should be wary of any individuals promoting and using schemes to submit false filings to IRS. Should you come across such a scheme, please report it to IRS Criminal Investigation." According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Self owned and operated a tax preparation business called DeKalb Tax Services, LLC, which also operated under the names "Tax Shield" and "Instant Tax." Self filed false tax returns on behalf of his clients between 2015 and 2018 to generate fraudulent tax return payments. Self falsified information related to Schedule Cs, IRA deductions, tuition deductions, capital losses, and head of household filing status, which resulted in a loss to the IRS of $428,175. For one taxpayer, for example, Self falsely included numerous false statements to inflate her return, claiming that she incurred capital losses on investments, which did not exist. Self fraudulently claimed IRA deductions for the same taxpayer, even though she had no IRA account. Self further claimed deductions for tuition and fees, even though neither the taxpayer nor her son attended school. Self claimed that the taxpayer suffered business losses related to her work as an Uber driver, a job which she had never held. Self also fraudulently reported that the taxpayer's son was disabled. Self kept much of the money for himself after generating the fraudulently inflated returns. Kyle Self, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to one year, six months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $422,936. Self was convicted on these charges on January 11, 2022, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. O'Neal prosecuted the case.
