I’ve reported on the shenanigans committed by Renaissance, the Tax People, before. Today, former IRS District Director Jesse Cota pleaded guilty to defrauding the U.S. out of $1.3 million while he was with Renaissance. He also admitted to earning more than $300,000 from this scheme.
Renaissance was a multi-level marketing firm promoting tax savings products. There’s nothing illegal about multi-level marketing firms, nor tax savings products. The problems come when you promote, “…[A] program designed to sell illegal tax deductions through false and misleading representations.” Cota assured potential clients that the scheme was legal (and as a former IRS District Director, he knew (or should have known) it wasn’t).
Cota is the seventh individual to plead guilty to Renaissance-related charges.
Tags: Renaissance