Mapleton tax preparer sentenced to prison after tax fraud charges

Cass County, North Dakota – A 43 year-old tax preparer from Mapleton was sentenced to 18 months in prison in federal court for assisting in the preparation of fake tax returns.

U.S. District Judge Peter Welte also ordered Benjamin Boway, to pay $134,498 in restitution and $500 in special assessment fees.

Boway was a tax return preparer expert and used his knowledge against his clients and the IRS.

According to Nicholas Chase, North Dakota’s acting U.S. attorney, between 2015 and 2018, Boway, the sole owner and operator of Bennie Tax Services, knowingly filed fraudulent tax returns, in some cases representing that the taxpayers were entitled to claim credits and deductions that Boway knew were not legitimate.

According to Chase, the tax loss attributed to Boway’s fraudulent activities was $134,298.