Newsletter april 2026
Volume 26, Number 4
Cheshier Tax Resolution Times
The Frontline Defender for the Distressed Taxpayer®
King of Tax Prep Dethroned and Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Returns
Khristine Harper pleaded guilty to 20 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and one count of identity theft. Harper is accused of repeatedly submitting tax returns containing false deductions, credits, and other financial details that her clients never provided.
The scheme took place between 2018 and 2024, while Harper operated a tax preparation business called Kings Tax Service. She routinely inflated or fabricated tax information in order to generate larger refunds for clients.
In 2023, after learning that IRS agents were looking into her activities, Harper changed the name of her business and obtained a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) in another person’s name without permission. She used that number to file her clients’ 2023 tax returns.
She was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of supervised release. She must also pay $284,490 in restitution, $132,809.74 in required prosecution costs, and a $2,100 special monetary assessment tied to the convictions.
Two Million in Unpaid Payroll Taxes Equals Time in Prison
Brett Hill, the owner of two telecommunications companies in Maryland was found guilty of failing to pay payroll taxes.
From the second quarter of 2016 through the fourth quarter of 2018, Hill withheld the taxes from employees, including social security and Medicare fees, but never paid them to the federal government. He also didn’t file the required quarterly employment tax returns during that time, so he didn’t pay the companies’ share of payroll taxes. He used the funds to pay himself a salary and for business expenses.
Hill cost the IRS a loss of more than two million dollars. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $658,485.81 in restitution.
Question
What do you call an accountant without a calculator?
Answer
A non-prophet
Temp Agency Manager’s Permanent Tax Trouble
Siharath Panyanouvong was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return.
Panyanouvong was the manager of a temporary employment agency in Massachusetts. He cashed more than 4.5 million dollars in customer checks using the alias “Mike Pan,” and used the cash to pay himself and to run off-the-books payroll.
Between 2017 and 2019, he failed to report more than 3.5 million dollars in gross receipts on the company’s tax returns and caused the IRS a loss of more than $980,000.
If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Tax Scammer’s “Own Nothing Trusts” Cost the IRS 8.7 Million Dollars
Aanand Shukla pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the US in connection with promoting a fraudulent trust-based tax shelter. From 2017 to 2025, Shukla and co-conspirators marketed and used a tax strategy that claimed clients could “own nothing, control everything.”
The program targeted business owners and charged fees as high as $225,000. Participants were told they could keep control of their money while eliminating taxes on nearly all of their business income. The plan was marketed through seminars, webinars, podcasts, and direct sales pitches.
Clients were taught to restructure their companies so approximately 98% of income flowed through a series of layered trusts and a private family foundation. They were told to route personal expenses, including vehicles, entertainment, and mortgage payments, through trust accounts and claim them as deductions.
Packages typically sold for $25,000 to $55,000, while more complicated ones sold for much more. Shukla also created trust documents, trained other promoters, and directed clients to tax preparers who understood the program.
The scheme led to the filing of at least 321 false tax returns, concealing more than 27 million dollars in client income and 3.7 million dollars of Shukla’s own income. In total, Shukla caused more than 8.7 million dollars in losses to the IRS. He faces a lengthy prison term and restitution.
Con Men Swing and Miss Steal Millions Intended for Charity
Noly Hermoso Ilarde pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, acknowledging that he and co-conspirator Martin Rebollo Jr. falsely represented themselves as founders of a nonprofit called “Chula Vista Fast Pitch.” The men claimed to support youth softball programs, but in reality, it was a defunct charity and none of the money went to charitable causes.
The pair secured agreements to supply volunteer workers for concession stands at Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Under the arrangement, the nonprofit would receive 10 percent of concession sales in exchange for providing the volunteers. Instead, Ilarde and Rebollo paid each volunteer $50 in cash per event and then split the remaining funds between themselves.
The fake charity received approximately 3.5 million dollars from Delaware North, the hospitality company managing concessions at Petco Park, and more than $250,000 from Aztec Shops, the nonprofit overseeing concessions at Snapdragon Stadium. The payments were deposited into bank accounts controlled by Rebollo before the money was distributed.
Ilarde admitted that he personally gained more than $550,000 from the scheme. Rebollo previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, filing a false tax return, and social security fraud. He gained more than 1.5 million dollars, none of which was reported on his tax return.
Both men face up five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution.
Successful Contractor Files One Tax Return – Ever
Richard Hoffman, who made millions through construction work and gambling, is facing 12 felony counts for failing to file and pay Minnesota taxes from 2019 to 2025.
Hoffman earned approximately 5.2 million dollars in gross income between 2019 and 2024, and owes $356,910 in state income taxes for those years. However, he has filed only one individual income tax return, in 2005 for his 2004 taxes.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue claims it spent 18 years trying to bring Hoffman into compliance, sending letters, calling him and taking collection actions. In 2013, Hoffman agreed to pay $200 per month for taxes owed from 2008 and 2009, but never made a payment. From 2013 to 2025, he claimed he had no contact with the agency until he learned of a criminal investigation in 2025.
Bank records show that Hoffman’s adjusted gross income was $616,000 in 2019, $734,000 in 2020, $1.1 million in 2021, $878,000 in 2022, $988,000 in 2023 and $862,000 in 2024.
He faces prison and restitution.
Did You Know?
In 2011 Denmark introduced the world’s first “Fat Tax” on items like meat, butter and oil to help curb obesity and improve public health.
All products with more than 2.3% saturated fat were included. Residents claimed the tax put a burden on low income families and it was repealed 15 months later.
Important Upcoming Tax Deadlines
May 15th
Texas Franchise Tax Reports due
June 15th
Second quarter 2026 estimated tax payments due
September 15th
Third quarter 2026 estimated tax payments due
Partnership and S Corp Business that filed extensions are due
We’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.
Irving – Adrienne @ 972-514-1424
Duncanville – Linda @ 469-647-9950
Pecos – Crissy @ 432-445-4949 Greenville – Shannon @ 469-256-4056
Enter Our Trivia Contest for a Chance to Win a
$250 Transferrable Gift Certificate!
Take the Trivia Challenge to win!
Each month, we will give you a new trivia question. The first THREE people who call our office with the correct answer will win a free $250 reduction on any IRS Resolution service we 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 Nicole @ 469-647-9950
This month’s question is….
In honor of Earth Day 2026, recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for how many hours?
Call Nicole @ 469-647-9950 with your guess
Your IRS Questions Answered Here…
Question: I just received IRS notices claiming I owe $74,367 for several years of back taxes but do not have the money to pay them. All I want to do is get them off my back and heard of something called an Offer in Compromise settlement. What is it and how do I qualify?
Answer: An Offer in Compromise is a legal binding agreement between the taxpayer and the IRS that settles the full amount owed. Many times, for a FRACTION of what’s owed. It’s the IRS’s version of a “fresh start” when it comes to IRS debt. If approved, the IRS accepts a lesser amount to settle your entire debt. However, it isn’t easy to gain approval due to its strict criteria and eligibility requirements.
The IRS considers your income, assets, expenses, ability to pay, and whether paying the full amount, even over time, would cause financial hardship. It’s important to remember that the IRS wants its money and will only accept an Offer in Compromise if it thinks it’s in the best interest of the government and it wouldn’t receive any money otherwise. It’s very a formulaic and process driven solution.
Your odds for acceptance increase significantly when you have an experienced tax resolution specialist negotiating with the IRS on your behalf. If you do qualify, we get to work immediately by implementing a customized resolution plan that fits your unique circumstances.
We at Cheshier Tax Resolution are experts in IRS tax problem resolution and help taxpayers with their IRS Problems every day. We know the “ins and outs” and know how to navigate the IRS maze. There is a solution to EVERY problem. Call us today! Ask for Linda @ 469-647-9950 for a FREE, no-obligation confidential consultation!