Nevada Owner Of Three Mexican Restaurants Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Tax Evasion

 

Defendant Caused a Tax Loss of $1.6 Million

A Nevada man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for evading his federal income taxes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Raul Gil owned and operated three Casa Don Juan restaurants in Las Vegas. From 2014 through 2018, Gil instructed his manager and internal bookkeeper to create false sales numbers for his restaurants that underreported cash sales by approximately $5.1 million. Gil then provided those falsified records to an accountant who unwittingly used them to prepare false business and personal income tax returns for those years. 

Then, in July 2018, during an IRS audit, Gil directed his accountant to provide the IRS with profit and loss statements that matched the figures reported on the false tax returns. Gil also directed his manager/bookkeeper to create and provide the IRS with false daily cash and sales reports purportedly printed from the restaurants’ point-of-sale systems. During interviews with the IRS, Gil falsely stated to the revenue agent conducting the audit, and later to IRS special agents conducting a criminal investigation, that the falsified daily cash reports and point-of-sale records were accurate. In total, Gil caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1.6 million.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon for the District of Nevada ordered Gil to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2,228,943.65 in restitution to the United States.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.