Show-Me State Times

U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced a tax preparer from St. Louis, Missouri, to 46 months in prison for filing false tax returns. The fraudulent activity led to an estimated tax loss of $2.5 million.

Robert Droege, aged 59, admitted guilt in June to four counts of aiding in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns. He acknowledged preparing at least 34 false tax returns at his home office, Bob’s Tax Service, located on the 6500 block of Morganford Road in St. Louis.

Droege's actions involved creating returns with incorrect information such as medical expenses, charitable contributions, personal property rental expenses, non-business bad debt, and other deductions. According to the government, these activities resulted in a total loss of approximately $2.5 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

“Return preparer fraud is such an egregious crime because of the trust taxpayers place in those they choose to prepare their tax returns,” stated IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Steenson from the St. Louis Field Office. “We always hope that the possibility of prison time will be a deterrent to those thinking of playing games with the nation’s tax system.”

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane.