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NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Leroi G. Jackson, age  49, of New Orleans, was charged today by a bill of information with one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns, a violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2).

The bill of information alleges that in February 2016, Jackson assisted in preparing a false tax return for a taxpayer in which Jackson included false business losses, false charitable deductions, and false unreimbursed employee expenses.  The resulting refund was over $16,000 in excess of what the taxpayer should have received.

If convicted, Jackson faces a maximum sentence of three years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $100,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation is being handled by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. Payne is in charge of the prosecution.