Man goes to prison for false tax claims

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A Virginia Beach man will spend nearly two years in prison for his role in preparing false tax returns over a course of three years.

U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride said Paul Zimmerman, Jr., 49, was sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns between 2006 and 2009. Zimmerman, who pled guilty in July, was charged after an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.

Zimmerman helped prepare 35 false tax returns for 17 different cities, costing the government $102,704. Zimmerman owned and operated Paul’s Taxes and Services located on Virginia Beach Boulevard in Norfolk.

The Internal Revenue Service launched their investigation after noticing errors in tax returns of Zimmerman’s clients. Zimmerman claimed illegitimate rental properties, inflated expenses related to legitimate rental properties, inflated business expenses and claimed mortgage interest payments on properties without mortgages without his clients knowing.

MacBride said the false claims resulted in lowering his clients’ tax liabilities or in generating funds.