VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach man who prepared tax returns was sentenced Monday to 2 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution to the IRS, according to a news release.
Ryan Dalletezze's prison sentence will be followed by 12 months of supervised release. He will also have to pay back the IRS $291,579.
From 2013 to 2016, 42-year-old Dalletezze prepared tax returns through Virginia Beach-based company D&D Tax Service LLC, according to court documents.
As a "ghost preparer," Dalletezze received money as a paid preparer but failed to report himself on customers' returns. He would claim exemptions (such as education, business expenses and losses, energy credits) that were false. Customers were unaware of Dalletezze's illegal practices.
He would personally receive the refunds and would keep a substantial amount for himself, court documents said.
The filing of these false and fraudulent returns resulted in a tax loss of over $291,000.
“In the midst of the 2020 filing season, this case is a good example of why it’s extremely important to choose a reputable return preparer,” said Kelly R. Jackson, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge of the Washington DC Field Office.
“Taxpayers should cautious of preparers who fail to review their tax return with them prior to submission to the IRS and/or refuse to sign the return as a paid return preparer."
