March 2025

Volume 119, Number 119

Jesus Zach Abikarram

Freedom Tax Resolution Times

“Read About Taxpayers with IRS Problems & Find Out How to Solve Them”

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

“Rich bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others.”

– Oscar Wide

Arizona Politician Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Millions of Dollars from County - Faces 35 Years

Elizabeth Gutfahr, the former treasurer of Santa Cruz County, Arizona, pleaded guilty to embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion.

Gutfahr admitted to using 187 wire transfers between 2014 and 2024 to funnel 38 million dollars of county money into personal accounts, funding a luxurious lifestyle while leaving local schools, fire districts, and public services underfunded.

Gutfahr manipulated the county’s financial approval process by using another employee’s authorization token, allowing her to initiate and approve the fraudulent wire transfers. To cover her tracks, she falsified records. She used the stolen taxpayer money to buy almost two dozen cars, including Cadillacs, a Mercedes, multiple Jeeps, Ford trucks, and an Airstream travel trailer. She also splurged on expensive real estate, high-end furniture, designer clothing, and extravagant vacations. Her family ranch underwent extensive renovations, including new plumbing, floors, and electrical systems.

In addition to embezzlement, Gutfahr failed to pay taxes on 13 million of the stolen money. As part of her plea agreement, she has agreed to cooperate with the government to repay the stolen funds. She faces up to 35 years in prison.

Tax Preparer Convicted of Fraud

Saul Valdez, an unlicensed tax preparer in Washington state, was found guilty of filing false tax returns.

Between 2016 and 2018, Valdez falsified deductions and expenses on hundreds of tax returns, and admitted in court that his fraud cost the IRS $1,293,921. He also racked up $23,000 in penalties for clients. In 2017 alone, he falsified 36 returns, causing a $54,045 tax loss. His company, Conexion Latina, catered to low-income taxpayers.

Valdez was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS and sentenced to nine months in prison and four months of home confinement.

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Tax Resolution Times

Financial Advisor Hides $73K Boat from IRS Finds Himself in Deep Water

Terence Taylor pleaded guilty to impeding the efforts of the IRS to collect a tax debt that went back more than a decade.

Taylor’s financial troubles began when he failed to file taxes for several years, racking up a debt with the IRS of $810,000.

In 2012 he was sentenced and ordered to pay the taxes he owed. Instead, Taylor moved to Florida and for several years hid assets under his wife’s name. He avoided all IRS attempts to contact him and falsified financial records. Among items he put under his wife’s name was a $73,000 boat. His wife also covered marina fees and yacht club expenses.

Despite making a substantial income, Taylor made minimal payments towards his debt.

In addition to still owing almost a million dollars to the IRS, Taylor faces a maximum prison sentence of three years.

Business Owner’s Tax Scheme Paves Him a Path to Prison

Richard Cooper, the owner of a successful paving business in Boston, was sentenced to six months in prison after admitting to a tax evasion scheme that let him pocket over one million dollars in unpaid taxes.

Cooper concealed 5.1 million dollars in business payments and failed to report nearly 3.9 million dollars in income to the IRS and the state of Massachusetts. He used the funds to pay himself a tax-free salary and paid some employees under the table in cash, bypassing payroll taxes altogether.

Prosecutors sought a harsher sentence, arguing for 18 months in prison, but Cooper’s attorneys argued that he was a dedicated family man with no prior criminal record, emphasizing that he had run his business since the 1970s. Cooper’s attorneys also claimed that the tax debt was $675,948, far less than what the IRS claimed.

In addition to the prison term, Cooper will serve two years of supervised release and must pay $989,819 in federal taxes and $115,118.80 in state taxes, totaling $1,104,937.80 in restitution. He’s going to have to fill a lot of potholes to cover that debt.

Thank you!

Thanks to YOU, the word is spreading. Thanks to my clients and friends who graciously referred me to their friends, clients and relatives last month! I enjoy building my business based on the positive comments and referrals from people just like you.


I just couldn’t do it without you!

Tax Resolution Times

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Tech Founder Fails to Pay Millions in Payroll Taxes, Heads to Prison

Andrew Park, co-founder and CEO of a startup technology company, was found guilty of failing to pay over 14.7 million dollars in payroll taxes and not filing his personal tax returns.

Park was responsible for all financial matters related to the company, and between 2014 and 2021 he withheld federal, state, and local taxes from employee wages but failed to pay them to the IRS and the state. Despite being notified hundreds of times by the payroll service provider and receiving complaints from four employees who found that the Social Security Administration had no record of their withholdings, Park continued the scheme.

From 2013 to 2020, Park did not file individual tax returns while paying himself an annual salary of approximately $250,000.

Park was also accused of misleading investors by falsely claiming his company was tax compliant to secure funding.

He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $639,821.78 in restitution, which was the amount of tax still owed at sentencing. He was also fined $15,000.

Are You My Next Client of the Month?

Every month I choose a very special Client of the Month. It’s my way of acknowledging good friends and saying “thanks!” to those who support me and my business with referrals, word of mouth and repeat business.

You might be my next Client of the Month too! Watch for your name here in an upcoming month.

Tax Cheat Gutter Repair Owner Ordered to Pay Back Over $800,000 to the IRS

Jeffrey Tome, the owner of a gutter repair and installation company in Rochester, NY, was convicted of filing a false tax return.

Between 2017 and 2021, Tome failed to deposit 1,679 customer checks totaling $1,719,283.45 into his company’s business account. Instead, he cashed them at a local check-cashing service and did not report the income to his tax preparer. As a result, this income was left off the business’s corporate tax returns.

Tome also failed to report the net profits from his company on his personal tax returns, avoiding $330,137 in personal income tax payments.

Averse to paying any taxes, he paid employees $407,573.60 in cash without reporting it, failing to pay $62,358.76 in payroll taxes.

He was sentenced to two years of probation, 500 hours of community service, and must pay $805,098.56 in restitution to the IRS.

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Tax Resolution Times

Did You Know?

Houston, Texas has the highest hotel tax rate in the country at 17%, while Alaska has
no state lodging tax.

Thank you for the Kind Words…

… I used one of those Runoff the Mill Tax Preparations firm and the preparer kept making it show like I had a loss in my business… I had no business and no loss… The IRS was billing me an outrageous amount. I learn of Freedom Tax Resolution, and they negotiated with the IRS for me. I’m very happy with their service.

-Earle G.

I’d Like to Hear From You!

If you have an IRS issue, or just want to refer a friend, relative or client, we’d love to hear from you. We can provide a no-obligation confidential consultation to help you solve your IRS problems.

Freedom Tax Resolution
600 W Hallandale Beach Blvd Ste 4
Hallandale Beach FL 33009
954-361-7400
jesus@freedomtaxresolution.com

Enter Our Trivia Contest for a Chance to Win a $250 Transferrable Gift Certificate!

Take the Trivia Challenge to win!

Each month, I’ll give you a new trivia question. The first THREE people who call my office with the correct answer win a free $250 reduction on any IRS service I provide. Your prize is also transferrable, so use it for yourself, or give it to a family member or friend. Take your best guess and call me at 954-361-7400

This month’s question is… 

Around how many people march in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade?

a) 60,000

b) 250,000

c) 120,000

d) 300,000

Your IRS Questions Answered Here…

Question: I’ve been getting threatening notices from the IRS recently. I think can pay the tax due but would like these ridiculous penalties and interest charges waived. Does the IRS waive penalties? What can I do to get these removed from my account?

Answer: There are several different ways the IRS removes or reduces penalties. One option is called First Time Penalty Abatement (“FTA”), but you must have a “clean record” for the previous 3 years prior to the year your requesting relief on. 

The other way to obtain abatement is due to “Reasonable Cause”.  The IRS has some nine different reasonable cause defenses you can apply under. One of them, for example, is death, serious illness, or unavoidable absence.  It only covers immediate family members, and the issue must be addressed in a reasonable amount of time after the illness or death. You’ll need to show other obligations weren’t paid-not just the taxes. You’ll also need written proof of the illness or death. This must be requested via a formal letter to the IRS written in a very specific format. Call us to see if any of the other 8 arguments apply to you.

 

We at Freedom Tax Resolution are experts in IRS tax problem resolution and penalty abatement.  We help taxpayers with their IRS Problems every day.  There is a solution to EVERY problem. You’ll never have to speak or meet with the IRS, once we’re in the picture! Call us today! 954-361-7400 for a FREE confidential consultation

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