Meridian man sentenced for tax fraud

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — A Meridian man must pay $3,470 in restitution to the Idaho State Tax Commission and complete 72 hours of community service in place of jail time after pleading guilty to willful failure to pay tax.

The Ada County Magistrate Court sentenced Benjamin Adam Cornett in February for falsifying income tax returns and evading taxation. Cornett fabricated business expenses in 2017 and 2018 to create net losses that significantly reduced his taxable income.

“Willfully providing false information is a fraud, and it’s against the law,” Tax Commission Chairman Jeff McCray said. “It may appear to reduce tax liability in the short term, but it gets caught eventually.”

In addition to paying restitution and community service, Cornett also received 24 months of unsupervised probation.

The Tax Commission discovers tax fraud by routinely analyzing tax returns and conducting tax audits, as well as through tips from law enforcement, other state agencies, and the public. 

To report tax fraud, email the Tax Commission at fraud@tax.idaho.gov or complete the online fraud referral form at tax.idaho.gov/fraud. You can choose to remain anonymous.