Nearly $900,000 Tax Fraud Gets Heights Man 3 Years In Prison

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — A 35-year-old Cleveland Heights man will serve three years in prison for making false tax returns and lying to law enforcement, the Department of Justice announced this week. The 35-year-old ran his own tax returns preparation company called Roddy Solutions.

U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent sentenced Immanuel Roddy, 35, to 42 months in prison and ordered him to pay $892,902 in restitution to the IRS. While operating Roddy Solutions he would often refer to himself as the "Tax Beast" in advertising materials.

While running his company, Roddy would make false tax returns for his clients in which he claimed false tax credits or fake business expenses, court documents said. Roddy was indicted for his crimes in July 2016.

The investigation into Roddy was led by the IRS and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation’s Cincinnati office.

“With the sentenced handed down today, the self-proclaimed 'Tax Beast' has been tamed,” Korner said. “This sentence is also a reminder that all tax professionals have to respect the law and protect the interests of their clients and the taxpaying public.”

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