Father Also Pleaded Guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm
A Minneapolis father and son pleaded guilty in October to conspiring to defraud the United States. The father also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to documents and statements made in court, between June 2022 and October 2024, LaMar Javis Burgess and his son, LaMar Dazjar Burgess, of the Minneapolis area, prepared and filed false federal income tax returns for themselves and others claiming refund amounts they and the other taxpayers were not entitled to receive. The defendants prepared and filed false 2021 tax returns claiming refundable sick and family leave tax credits available to certain self-employed individuals unable to work due to COVID-19. They also prepared and filed false 2022 tax returns claiming certain refundable tax credits.
During the conspiracy, LaMar Javis Burgess sought and obtained videos and instruction manuals educating himself on how to file false federal tax returns, including a guide titled “TurboTax Sauce The ‘Self-Employed’ Way.” He worked with his son and others to promote the tax fraud scheme. In exchange for filing false tax returns, he charged taxpayers a $10,000 fee from a portion of their tax refunds.
Both the father and son solicited others to provide them with their names, addresses, Social Security numbers, photo identification and bank account information to enable them to prepare and file the false tax returns. The returns included employment and tax credit information they knew to be false.
In total, the defendants prepared or filed at least 300 false and fraudulent federal tax returns claiming at least $9.2 million in refunds.
During a search warrant executed at his home in Golden Valley, Minnesota, federal investigators found that LaMar Javis Burgess was in possession of a Glock model 19, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. The handgun contained a loaded fifteen round magazine. An empty magazine, an extended high-capacity magazine, and a high-capacity drum magazine were also found on the closet shelves, and loose ammunition rounds were in a bag inside the closet. The handgun was a reported stolen firearm. Because LaMar Javis Burgess has certain prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
LaMar Javis Burgess is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for conspiracy and fifteen years in prison for felon in possession of a firearm. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. LaMar Dazjar Burgess is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for conspiracy. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI, HSI, ATF, Minneapolis Police Department, Fridley Police Department, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney J. Parker Gochenour of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Kline of the District of Minnesota are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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