Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States | OPA

A Florida return preparer pleaded guilty yesterday in the Southern District of Florida to conspiracy to defraud the United States.

According to court documents, Michlin Delivrance owned and operated Tax USA, a return preparation business with a primary office in Delray Beach. From at least 2015 through 2019, Delivrance conspired with Scott Forbes and others at Tax USA to claim inflated tax refunds for clients by reporting false income, expenses and itemized deductions on their returns. Delivrance benefited from the scheme by charging clients substantial fees to prepare the returns. In total, through his conduct, Delivrance caused a tax loss to the IRS of between $250,000 and $550,000.

Delivrance is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. Forbes previously pleaded guilty to his involvement in the conspiracy on June 1, and his sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 24. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Patrick Elwell of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Waugh of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.