Naples Man Sentenced to 45 Days in Jail for Falsifying Tax Returns

April 28, 2010

Contact: Kate Simmons (207) 626-8577

Portland - Attorney General Janet T. Mills announced that Michael A. Skarbinski, age 49, of Naples, Maine, was sentenced on April 27, 2010, by Justice Roland Beaudoin in Cumberland County Superior Court to 12 months in jail with all but 45 days suspended and two years probation for making false statements in his tax returns and obtaining a tax refund through deception. Skarbinski had been convicted of the charges following a jury trial on March 10 and 11, 2010.

Skarbinksi falsified his 2005-2007 Maine income tax returns by claiming that he and his wife had no federal and state taxable income when in fact they earned between $80,000 and $130,000 in taxable income per year. Skarbinski contended at trial that the salaries that he and his wife earned as professionals at local area hospitals simply were not taxable. By falsely claiming zero taxable income in 2007, Skarbinski received a refund for that tax year of nearly $4,000. His two other attempts at refunds were detected and denied by Maine Revenue Services.

In addition to the jail sentence, Skarbinski is ordered to repay the $3780 refund he obtained and will file his amended tax returns and pay the required taxes. Skarbinski is also ordered to file complete and corrected tax returns for 2008 and 2009.

"Tax cheats will not be tolerated,? stated Attorney General Mills. ?My office will take strong action against individuals who misrepresent their income and force other Maine citizens to make up the difference. Especially during these hard economic times, when other citizens are struggling to get by but paying their taxes, we will not not stand for this kind of crime.?

This case was investigated by Maine Revenue Services' Criminal Investigations Unit and prosecuted by the Attorney General?s Office by Assistant Attorney General Gregg D. Bernstein.

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