North County Woman Faces Income Tax Fraud

A North County woman has been charged for her role in falsifying income tax returns, according to a United States Attorney’s Office of Eastern Missouri press release.

Evelyn Silas, 53 of Florissant, faces 20 counts of assisting in preparing false income tax returns, three counts of making false declaration on her own personal return and a count of obstructing administration of internal revenue laws.  

During the 2009, 2010 and 2011 tax years, Silas prepared tax returns for family and friends and might have added false information about educational expenses, business income and losses for tax credits on the returns.

It is estimated she created more than $90,000 in tax loss and kept a large portion of the tax refund for herself.

She faces up to three years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine for each of the counts. The government will also pursue restitution for the tax losses, according to the release.