Canadian national pleads guilty to tax fraud

 

Date: October 24, 2022

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

AUSTIN — A Canadian national pleaded guilty to making false statements on income tax returns.

According to court documents, William Henry Woo earned income in the United States from gambling at casinos that was subject to federal taxes Beginning in January 2007 through January 2011, Woo submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) fraudulent claims seeking approximately $5.4 million in tax refund monies by falsely over-reporting the tax withheld by the casinos and by duplicating his refund claims. Woo fraudulently obtained more than $1 million in tax refunds from the Department of Treasury.

Woo pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements on income tax returns for tax year 2007. A sentencing date has not been set. For each count, Woo faces up to three years in prison, restitution and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and IRS-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington, Houston Field Office, made the announcement.

The IRS-CI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Castillo is prosecuting the case.