TRENTON, NJ — Luis Crespo, 43, a resident of Sayreville, NJ, pleaded guilty on September 30th to conspiring to submit false claims to the IRS through filing fraudulent tax returns. Sentencing is scheduled for January 28, 2022. @IRS_CI
Crespo pleaded guilty via videoconference before U. S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton. Crespo pleaded guilty to count one of a three count indictment that was handed up by a grand jury on August 27, 2020.
According to documents and statement made in court:
Crespo was part of a conspiracy led by Michael Watsey, who orchestrated a scheme to file false claims or cause the filing of false claims, namely the filing of false tax returns in the years 2016 and 2017. Watsey created false Forms W2-G, which showed significant gambling winnings and federal tax withheld. Watsey provided these false Forms W2-G showing gambling winnings to Crespo. For tax years 2016 and 2017, Crespo filed income tax returns with the IRS that included the false Form W-2Gs that requested a total of $508,787 in false federal tax refunds. Based on the false returns that he filed, the IRS paid Crespo tax refunds totaling approximately $510,668.
The count of conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a statutory maximum fine equal to the greatest of: (1) $250,000; (2) twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain derived from the offense; or (3) twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense.
The investigation was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig.
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Defense Counsel: John M. Holliday, Esq. – Trenton, NJ