Punt Blocked – Former Green Bay Packers Kicker Found Guilty of Defrauding the IRS with Two Las Vegas Businessmen

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May 29, 2014

A federal jury in Las Vegas found a former NFL punter, Joseph Prokop, and two Las Vegas businessmen guilty of defrauding the IRS and aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. The three men used two Nevada companies named the “National Audit Defense Network” and “Oryan Management and Financial Services” to promote and sell a product they called the Tax Break 2000.

Tax Break 2000 was marketed as a method to claim up to $10,475 in income tax credits and deductions under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The scheme alleged that you could get a tax credit for making facilities ADA compliant with little to no cost. The tax credit, however, requires taxpayers who claim the credit to actually make building modifications to be eligible for the credit. Tax Break 2000 also came with a “Pre-Paid Audit Protection” plan on claimant’s tax returns.

Prokop was the marketing director for Oryan Management and Financial Services, the company prosecutors said created Tax Break 2000. Prokop played for the Green Bay Packers in 1985 as well as five other NFL teams from 1987 to 1992.

Moral of the story – be wary of the tax products you see advertised (even if marketed by a former player of our coveted Green Bay Packers) including products that come with audit protections (generally, those prepaid audit defenses are worth exactly what you pay for them). Some tax products may be a great way for you and your business to save some tax dollars, but be sure to consult a trusted tax advisor before taking any action.

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