Wildwood Tax Adviser Indicted for Tax Evasion

Frank “Tiger” Zerjav Jr., of Wildwood, was indicted through the U.S. Attorney's Office for Eastern District of Missouri on charges of federal income tax evasion for the years 2001 through 2004. Zerjav also was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly producing altered records after receiving a grand jury subpoena.

The indictment indicates Zerjav submitted false tax returns for the years 2001 through 2004, and further submitted false accounting records to evade taxes totaling $182,000. The indictment also alleges Zerjav attempted to interfere with the grand jury investigation by producing altered QuickBooks accounting records of an entity identified as Advisory Group-West, Inc. 

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges, stated Assistant U.S. Attorney James Crowe Jr., who is handling this case.   

This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. 

A St. Louis Business Journal article from March 30, 2010, indicated a court order entered by Judge Richard Webber in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri barred Zerjva Jr. from preparing tax returns and providing tax advice for three years, and permanently barred his father, Frank Zerjav Sr., from engaging in certain conduct related to tax preparation.

The Zerjavs consented to the order “to resolve all disputed claims and to avoid the expense and risk of ongoing litigation,” according to the order.

In February 2008, the federal government had filed a complaint seeking to permanently bar the Zerjavs and their affiliated companies from preparing tax returns for others, according to the Business Journal article. The suit alleged that the Zerjavs were promoting an unlawful tax scheme involving the use of bogus corporate transactions and phony deductions.

"Tax violations have been erroneously referred to as victimless crimes, but it's the honest law abiding citizen who is harmed when someone tries to manipulate our nation's tax system," said Stephen Boyd, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in an announcement from the Attorney's Office.    

Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt, stated the current announcement about Zerjva Jr.