BOISE, Idaho – Over the past six months four people, including two from Twin Falls, have pleaded guilty to tax fraud. All were sentenced to jail, some with hefty fines. 

Tax fraud is a crime the Idaho State Tax Commission takes seriously, and it is stepping up its efforts to prosecute those who do it.

“People who knowingly defraud the state when filing their taxes are not only committing a crime, but are not paying their lawful share of revenues needed to provide critical services like education, public safety and roads,” said Tax Commission Chairman Ken Roberts. “The Idaho State Tax Commission will continue to pursue tax evaders and work to prosecute tax crimes.”

As part of its increased efforts to prosecute fraudulent taxpayers, the agency says it is working with county prosecutors and the IRS to go after those who cheat on their taxes.

Tax fraud includes doing something to evade paying taxes, the agency explains, such as filing a false document, filing a false tax return or underreporting income. It also includes filing a tax return under someone else’s name to get a refund. Signing a false tax return is considered perjury.

In November, Twin Falls resident Charles Colby pleaded guilty to income tax evasion and drug trafficking. He was sentenced to serve one to five years in jail with one year fixed.

Another Twin Falls resident, this one a CPA, also pleaded guilty in November. Janet Roe pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the IRS. According the Tax Commission:

In response to an audit from the Idaho State Tax Commission, Roe falsified a document on behalf of a client. When special agents with the IRS interviewed Roe about the document, she falsely stated that she didn’t prepare the falsified document.

She faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Two other people in Idaho, a woman from Boise and another from Idaho Falls, also pleaded guilty to tax fraud.

The Tax Commission says it finds tax fraud from its routine identity theft fraud detection, tax audits, and tips from prosecutors and the public.

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