Bloomfield Tax Preparer Sentenced in Court

A Bloomfield tax preparer was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison for preparing tax returns he knew were false in order to get his clients larger refunds, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Rigot Joseph, 55, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false tax returns.

Joseph, the owner of RJM Professional Tax Services, prepared tax returns that claimed fabricated and inflated Schedule A itemized deductions for his clients, Fishman said.

Joseph met with clients at the East Orange company, where he prepared their tax returns.

For the years 2003 through 2007, Joseph prepared client tax returns that claimed deductions based on false gifts to charity, false job expenses and other false miscellaneous expenses, in order to obtain large refunds for his clients, Fishman said.  He then filed the tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.

In addition to the prison term, Sheridan sentenced Joseph to two years of supervised release.