A San Bernardino County business owner has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for underpaying his taxes by almost $170,000.
Filemon Bernal, 64, of Fontana, must also pay nearly $277,000 in restitution to the IRS, according to a press release from the agency. He will report to prison by Nov. 20.
In May, Bernal pleaded guilty to one count each of subscribing to a false tax return and willfully failing to file a tax return.
“Bernal willfully filed false tax returns for the tax years 2010 to 2014, then willfully failed to file tax returns during the tax years 2015 to 2017,” the IRS said. “Specifically, he willfully underreported his gross receipts for Bernal Recycling, his plastics recycling company, then did not file tax returns at all. The total tax loss to the United States Treasury was $169,974.”
IRS Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher said in the release that Bernal “willfully and knowingly defrauded the U.S. government and placed additional tax burden on the shoulders of hardworking taxpayers.”
“Now he’ll feel the repercussions of his actions,” Hatcher added.