Tax preparer sentenced in $5 million tax fraud

Date: Oct. 23, 2026

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

SAN DIEGO – San Diego CPA Oladapo Olagbemi was sentenced in federal court today to 18 months in prison for preparing false tax returns containing $5 million in improper deductions and credits that resulted in $1.5 million in losses to the public fisc.

Olagbemi, who managed San Diego-based D.A.O. Accounting, Consulting, and Taxation, pleaded guilty in June to four counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns, admitting to multiple schemes between tax years 2019 and 2023 to help clients get illegitimate refunds by claiming business expenses, charitable gifts, and energy credits to which the taxpayers were not entitled.

Olagbemi’s tax practice generated almost $1.2 million in gross revenue in 2025 alone. “He betrayed the trust of his clients,” Judge Montenegro observed at today’s hearing.

Olagbemi continued filing false returns even after he was investigated by the California Board of Accountancy, interviewed about his questionable practices by civil and criminal IRS agents, and his office was searched by federal agents as part of the investigation that led to charges in this case. He even filed at least one false tax return after pleading guilty in this case, while awaiting sentencing.

“Tax fraud may hide the truth for a moment, but justice always comes to collect,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.

“For years, Olagbemi abused his position as a trusted tax preparer by filing fraudulent returns designed to generate refunds to which his clients were not entitled, causing more than $1.5 million in tax losses. Even after being confronted by authorities and pleading guilty, he continued engaging in the same conduct,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation's Los Angeles Field Office. “Today's sentence demonstrates that individuals who undermine the integrity of our tax system for personal gain will be held accountable.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Pilchak.

Defendant: Oladapo Olagbemi, San Diego, CA

IRS-CI is the law enforcement 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. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 16 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.