PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2001 Office of Tax & Revenue Collects on Tax Fraud Charges WASHINGTON, DC - Herbert J. Huff, Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the District of Columbia's Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR), announced today that the agency has collected $23,504 as a result of a collaborative investigation early last year with federal officials in Tacoma, WA. Federal prosecutors said George Earl Verkler, 40, a Tacoma, WA, accountant, used the names and Social Security numbers of at least 91 people without their knowledge. The falsified returns resulted in refund checks that came to private mailboxes that Verkler rented. US District Court Judge Franklin D. Burgess sentenced Verkler to one year and three months in prison Thursday for filing false income tax returns. He also ordered him to pay nearly $203,000 in restitution to 16 state governments, including $23,503.89 owed to the District of Columbia. The case was reported to OTR's Tax Fraud Hotline, which is administered by the Internal Audit and Internal Security Administration (IAIS). OTR then participated in a joint investigation with federal authorities to obtain evidence for prosecution. "Since 1999, the Tax Fraud Hotline continues to encourage individuals to report tax fraud with the assurance that their complaints and allegations will be thoroughly evaluated in a timely manner," said Wilma Matthias, Director of IAIS. "Due to our stepped up compliance efforts, we are aggressively pursuing all types of tax fraud. We are obligated to protect District revenue and to ensure that everyone pays his or her fair share," Huff added. Federal prosecutors say Verkler submitted fake income tax returns and wage settlements to the Internal Revenue Service and state departments of revenue between 1997 and 2000.