Tax preparer charged with filing false returns

A St. Paul tax preparer faces multiple counts of filing fraudulent tax returns after the Ramsey County attorney's office on Friday charged Olufemi Augustine Badejo with pocketing more than $20,000 in false refunds.

Badejo, 43, of Shoreview, allegedly filed false returns through his tax preparation business from 2008 through 2011. He was charged with four counts of filing a false return, four counts of failure to pay taxes and eight counts of filing false property tax refund statements.

"I am very pleased that we are able to bring forward criminal charges against this defendant, whose fraudulent scheme enriched himself at the expense of his clients and the public," Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said. "Unfortunately, financial fraud is growing in scope, complexity and creativity. Special credit should be given to the two investigative agencies, the FBI and the Minnesota Department of Revenue, who were able to stop the alleged criminal conduct and bring forward this investigation for prosecution by our newly expanded Financial Fraud Unit in the Ramsey County attorney's office."

According to the complaint, the FBI opened an investigation in 2012 after receiving reports that Badejo had filed numerous tax returns on behalf of other people, forged their signatures and then wired the money directly to his bank account. After reviewing the case, Ramsey County asked the state Department of Revenue's Criminal Investigation Division to join the investigation.

Badejo is alleged to have submitted at least 28 separate false property tax refund claims. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in Ramsey District Court on Aug. 20.

James Walsh • 651-925-5041