Mississippi Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison in False Tax Return

WASHINGTON – A Mississippi man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for conspiring to prepare and file false tax returns for clients in Jackson, Mississippi, and for preparing false returns.

According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Christopher Randell worked at Sunbelt Tax Services and conspired with others to claim inflated tax refunds for clients by reporting false education credits, itemized deductions and business profits or losses on their clients’ tax returns. Over the years, Randell and his co-conspirators prepared thousands of fraudulent returns, causing over $3.5 million in tax loss to the IRS. A jury convicted Randell and his co-conspirators in November 2023.

In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III for the Southern District of Mississippi ordered Randell to serve three years of supervised release, and to pay restitution to the United States, in an amount to be determined later by the Court.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell, Zachary Cobb and Mary Frances Richardson of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.