Tax Return Fraud Leads To Guilty Plea From Alexandria Man

ALEXANDRIA, VA — An Alexandria man pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in relation to tax return preparation fraud.

The case relates to Lawrence Appiah-Osei, 58, running a tax preparation business called New Look Enterprise out of his Alexandria home from 2016 to 2020. Prosecutors believe Appiah-Osei fraudulently inflated the tax returns of clients by claiming his clients operated businesses that lost thousands of dollars each year. Those false claims caused clients' taxable income to be lower and increased tax refunds.

The criminal investigations of the IRS estimated a tax loss of about $1.4 million due to the scheme.

Appiah-Osei faces up to six years in prison when sentenced. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 3.