Former school board member convicted

 

Date: November 3, 2023

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

Corpus Christi, TX — A former member of the Corpus Christi Independent School District Board has pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The investigation into John Longoria began in December 2018 following an approximately two-year extensive and suspicious remodeling project that occurred at his home. Authorities ultimately executed several search warrants at his residence and elsewhere in November 2020.

As a result of the financial investigation, law enforcement determined Longoria had underreported his income to the IRS for tax years 2014 through 2016. As part of his plea, he admitted he had failed to truthfully disclose to the IRS all income he received in the form of goods, property or services during that time.

Longoria has agreed to pay restitution to the Department of the Treasury in the amount of $187,315.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales will impose sentencing Jan. 24, 2024. At that time, Longoria faces up to three years in federal prison and a possible $100,000 maximum fine.

Longoria was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.

CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a more than a 90 percent federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 12 attaché posts abroad.