Former IRS Employee Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

Home » Law Blog » Former IRS Employee Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

Table of Contents

In an ironic twist, an ex-IRS employee recently pled guilty to criminal tax evasion charges in a federal court. The charges stemmed from the defendant allegedly having filed multiple false tax returns over consecutive years. The situation was exacerbated when the defendant allegedly created false evidence to substantiate the filings and used them in his communication with the IRS during an audit and subsequent criminal tax investigation.

The defendant faces a sentencing hearing on his case that is scheduled for this summer, where he could receive up to five years in prison, on top of restitution and other monetary penalties. This case should serve as an example that even those experienced with the tax system can make costly mistakes.

In such a difficult area, you should never be expected to handle complex tax issues that could lead to criminal tax crime exposure alone. Reach out to the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing at (800) 681-1295 and get competent, resourceful assistance from a Dual Licensed Tax Attorney and CPA today.

Ex-IRS Associate Allegedly Submitted False Information to Federal Government

On Tuesday, March 22, 2022, the Department of Justice published a press release in which they announced that that a former IRS employee pleaded guilty to tax evasion for filing false tax returns and providing falsified documentation to IRS investigators in an attempt to obstruct an audit.

Wayne M. Garvin, who most recently resided in Columbia, South Carolina, spent over two and a half decades in various roles with the IRS. His most recent role was as a Supervisory Associate Advocate with the IRS’ Taxpayer Advocate Service in Philadelphia. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is a public resource dedicated to helping ordinary taxpayers navigate complex tax issues. Garvin, 57, was also a former member of the U.S. Army Reserves.

False Tax Returns

Garvin attracted the scrutiny of his former employer for his tax return filings from 2012 to 2016. According to court documents, the IRS alleged that Garvin filed his federal returns with a number of inconsistencies and factual errors. Garvin allegedly claimed false deductions based on expenses from rental properties, nonexistent real estate taxes on his personal home, and fraudulent charitable contributions.

Additionally, Garvin included a $16,000 deduction on his 2013 federal tax return based on what the government claimed were false expenses stemming from his involvement in the U.S. Army Reserves, despite Garvin not having performed any reservist duties during that taxable year.

Obstruction of IRS Audit

Once the IRS became suspicious of Garvin’s returns, they instituted a formal audit of Garvin’s returns for the taxable years of 2013 and 2014. Instead of cooperating with the audit, however, Garvin allegedly dug himself even deeper by creating and submitting falsified documentation to substantiate his filings. These falsified documents included receipts for charitable donations to a church, invoices from a contractor, and a letter from the Army about his reservist obligations.

Even after the government shifted their efforts from an audit to a formal criminal tax investigation, Garvin allegedly continued the ruse, including submitting these same manufactured documents to the IRS’ Criminal Investigations Division (IRS-CI).

Plea and Sentencing

Garvin was initially charged with three counts of federal tax evasion and two counts of corruptly endeavoring to impair and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).

In front of Judge John Milton Younge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Garvin entered a guilty plea, admitting to underreporting his income by more than $74,000 over the course of the years in question.

Garvin entered a plea of guilty as part of a prearranged agreement, in which he also agreed to pay back the tax debt that he owed the government. Garvin also faces up to five years in prison, as well as supervised release, restitution, and other monetary penalties. Garvin’s sentencing is scheduled to occur on July 6.

What Should You Do if You Are Facing a Government Tax Audit or Criminal Tax Investigation?

If we can take one critical lesson away from this case, it is that Garvin made his situation substantially worse by creating and submitting false records and documentation to the government. When the government has enough curiosity to initiate a formal investigation like an audit, they will likely want to confirm the veracity of whatever you provide to them.

If the government determines that you submitted false or manipulated documents in the course of an audit, that is enough to signal that you were willful in avoiding taxes. The difference between willful and nonwillful tax violations is enormous. Look no further than Garvin’s situation, where the government transitioned their investigation from a civil audit to a criminal tax investigation upon receiving the falsified documents. It is a felony in and of itself to lie to a federal agent.

One area where honest taxpayers frequently get caught up in this issue is where they honestly claimed deductions that they believed were valid but did not have the documentation to back it up. Faced with an IRS audit, a panicked taxpayer, especially where they do not have legal representation, may decide to create this documentation. Whether your original tax return filings were valid or not, fabricating evidence and using it in a criminal proceeding is a crime in and of itself.

If you don’t know how to deal with the questions being asked in an IRS audit on you or your small business, do not try to fix the situation yourself. Reach out to one of the seasoned Dual Licensed Tax Lawyers and CPAs at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing. Together, we can help you come up with creative and valid strategies for explaining your tax filings without adding further issues to your already troublesome situation.

You Deserve the Help of the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing

Before you make a mistake in your dealings with the federal government, we strongly urge you to contact the Dual Licensed Tax Attorneys and CPAs at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing today at (800) 681-1295.

If you have failed to file a tax return for one or more years or have taken a position on a tax return that could not be supported upon an IRS or state tax authority audit, eggshell audit, reverse eggshell audit, or criminal tax investigation, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced tax defense attorney to determine your best route back into federal or state tax compliance without facing criminal prosecution.

Note: As long as a taxpayer that has willfully committed tax crimes (potentially including non-filed foreign information returns coupled with affirmative evasion of U.S. income tax on offshore income) self-reports the tax fraud (including a pattern of non-filed returns) through a domestic or offshore voluntary disclosurebefore the IRS has started an audit or criminal tax investigation / prosecution, the taxpayer can ordinarily be successfully brought back into tax compliance and receive a nearly guaranteed pass on criminal tax prosecution and simultaneously often receive a break on the civil penalties that would otherwise apply.

It is imperative that you hire an experienced and reputable criminal tax defense attorney to take you through the voluntary disclosure process. Only an Attorney has the Attorney Client Privilege and Work Product Privileges that will prevent the very professional that you hire from being potentially being forced to become a witness against you, especially where they prepared the returns that need to be amended, in a subsequent criminal tax audit, investigation or prosecution.

Moreover, only an Attorney can enter you into a voluntary disclosure without engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (a crime in itself). Only an Attorney trained in Criminal Tax Defense fully understands the risks and rewards involved in voluntary disclosures and how to protect you if you do not qualify for a voluntary disclosure.

As uniquely qualified and extensively experienced Criminal Tax Defense Tax Attorneys, Kovel CPAs and EAs, our firm provides a one stop shop to efficiently achieve the optimal and predictable results that simultaneously protect your liberty and your net worth. See our Testimonials to see what our clients have to say about us!

Contact Our California Tax Fraud Defense Attorneys for Help

If you failed to provide accurate information to the IRS, you may be facing tax fraud charges if you do not come into compliance through a domestic or offshore voluntary disclosure. Our experienced dual licensed California Tax Fraud Defense Lawyers and CPAs are here to help. Call the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing at (800) 681-1295 to arrange a consultation with our team or schedule a reduced rate initial consultation directly HERE.

Regardless of your business or estate needs, the professionals at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing are here for you. We are open for business and our team will help ensure that your business is too. Contact the Law Offices of David W. Klasing today to discuss your business with one of our professionals.

In addition to our main office in Irvine, the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing has unstaffed (conference room only) satellite offices in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Panorama City, Oxnard, San Diego, Bakersfield, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Carlsbad and Sacramento.

Our office technology allows clients to meet virtually via GoToMeeting. With end-to-end encryption, strong passwords, and top-rated reliability, no one is messing with your meeting. To schedule a reduced rate initial consultation via GoToMeeting follow this link. Call our office and request a GoToMeeting if you are an existing client.

Here is a link to our YouTube channel: click here!

See our Audit Representation Q and A Library

See our 2011 OVDI Q and A Library

See our FBAR Compliance and Disclosure Q and A Library

See our Foreign Audit Q and A Library

California Sales Tax Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers for Criminal Tax Representation

Tax Help Videos

Main Office

Orange County

2601 Main St. Penthouse Suite
Irvine, CA 92614

(949) 681-3502

Our headquarters is located in Irvine, CA. Our beautiful 19,700 office space is staffed full-time and always available for our clients to meet with our highly qualified and experienced staff of Attorneys, Certified Public Accountants and Enrolled Agents. We also offer virtual consultations and can travel to meet with clients in one of our satellite offices.

Outside of our 4 hour initial consultation option, we do not charge travel time or travel expenses when traveling to one of our Satellite offices, or surrounding business districts, where it is necessary to meet personally with taxing authority personnel, make court appearances, or any in person meeting deemed necessary for the effective representation of a client. To make this as flexible, efficient, and convenient as possible, David W. Klasing is an Instrument Rated Private Pilot and Utilizes the Firms Cirrus SR22 to service client’s in California and in the Southwest by air. Offices outside these areas are serviced via commercial jet airlines. None of these costs are charged to our clients.

Satellite Offices

California

Los Angeles

(310) 492-5583

Oxnard

(760) 338-7035

Sacramento

(916) 290-6625

San Francisco

(415) 287-6568

San Bernardino

(909) 991-7557