Two Minnesota men—a father and son—admitted filing at least 300 fake tax returns that claimed more than $9.2 million in refunds, underscoring why tax fraud hits every honest American’s wallet.
Story Highlights
- Both men pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States, ending the core dispute.
- At least 300 false returns were filed from June 2022 to October 2024, for themselves and others.
- The scheme used COVID leave credits, fuel-tax credits, and false withholdings to claim refunds.
- Refunds sought totaled at least $9.2 million; how much was paid has not been disclosed.
Plea Admissions Anchor a Sweeping Tax-Fraud Case
Federal prosecutors in Minnesota said LaMar Javis Burgess pleaded guilty on October 9, 2026, and his son, LaMar Dazjar Burgess, pleaded guilty on October 1, 2026, to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Court statements and filings support the charges, which close the question of whether the pair joined a scheme. Prosecutors said the defendants prepared and filed false federal returns for themselves and others over more than two years. Both men now face sentencing in federal court.
The Justice Department said the pair’s playbook leaned on pandemic-era and fuel-related credits. Prosecutors cited false claims tied to COVID-related sick and family-leave credits, improper fuel-tax credits, and fake wage withholdings to inflate refunds. Those categories can generate large payouts, even for people with little or no income-tax due. The government said the returns sought at least $9.2 million in refunds. Officials grouped this case within a larger national enforcement push.
Scale and Method: 300 Returns, Millions in Refunds Sought
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota reported at least 300 false returns from June 2022 through October 2024. Officials said the defendants handled returns for themselves and a wider circle of taxpayers, pointing to a repeat pattern across many filings. The figure marks this as a high-volume scheme, not a one-off act. The government’s releases did not list specific taxpayers or show return-level examples, which are usually protected by privacy rules.
The Justice Department’s national release placed this Minnesota case inside a broader crackdown that highlighted more than $490 million in alleged tax fraud across many districts. The department described common tactics seen nationwide, including misuse of refundable credits and false withholdings to trigger large checks. The Minnesota matter fits that pattern. Officials emphasized the conspiracy admissions and the dollar amount of refunds that were claimed by the pair’s filings.
What Is Known—and What Sentencing Must Still Decide
Public filings make several points clear. Both men admitted to the conspiracy. The government counts at least 300 returns over a defined period. The refunds sought totaled at least $9.2 million. The releases also identify the main types of false entries used to claim money. One key item remains pending: how much of those claimed refunds the Internal Revenue Service actually paid out. That figure, along with restitution and prison terms, typically appears at or after sentencing.
Those limits do not change the core fact that both men pleaded guilty. Still, precise loss numbers matter for prison guidelines and restitution. Judges weigh the amount of loss, the number of victims, and the role each person played. The public releases do not break down which returns each man handled, or show device logs or bank records that may exist in the case file. Those details commonly appear in sealed exhibits or in sentencing papers not yet posted.
Why This Matters to Every Taxpayer
Tax fraud punishes families who follow the rules. When bad actors drain the system, the government borrows more, delays refunds, or raises pressure on audits that hit honest filers. Refundable credits can be a lifeline for real workers, but they can also be abused. That is why the current enforcement push focuses on high-volume preparers who file many returns with the same red flags. The Minnesota pleas show that accountability is possible and moving forward under President Trump’s administration.
Conservatives value the rule of law, fair play, and limited government. Those principles demand that fraud be exposed fast and punished justly. This case checks those boxes so far: quick charges, guilty pleas, and a path to payback through restitution. The next step is sentencing, which will set penalties that fit the admitted conduct. For now, the message is simple: cheat the system, and you will face federal agents, federal prosecutors, and a federal judge.
