Hartford Lawyer Enters Plea In 7-Figure IRS Underreporting Case

MANCHESTER, CT — A Manchester lawyer who has a practice in Hartford is facing prison time and a hefty fine in a federal income tax underreporting case, authorities said.

John H. Durham, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service criminal investigations in New England, said that Justin Freeman, 46, of Manchester, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a federal tax charge related to his filing false tax returns that "substantially" underreported his income.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Freeman is a lawyer who owns and operates his own practice, The Law Offices of Justin C. Freeman, based in Hartford.

For the 2010, 2011 and 2012 tax years, Freeman signed individual federal income tax returns that "significantly underreported" the income he received from his law practice, authorities said.

The returns were subsequently filed by his tax preparer, they added.

According to case records, the discrepancies were:

• For 2010, Freeman reported $476,228 in total income, but actually earned $860,041.93.
• For 2011, he reported $410,002 in total income, but actually earned $1,093,147.43.
• For 2012, he reported $529,673 in total income, but actually earned $696,559.43.

Freeman pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for Feb. 20, 2019, at which time Freeman faces a maximum prison term term of three years and a fine of up to approximately $840,000.

He has paid $419,259 in back taxes, and has agreed to cooperate with the IRS to pay all outstanding taxes, interest and penalties, authorities said.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation Division.

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