WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ - A Williamstown man admitted in federal court this week to filing false claims against the IRS, federal officials said.

Christian L. Whittaker, 42, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Camden federal court to one count of an indictment charging him with making false claims against the IRS, the U.S. Attorney General’s Office said in a press release.

According to case documents and statements made in court, from 2016 to 2019, Whittaker allegedly knowingly prepared, signed and filed false individual income tax returns claiming that a business paid him significant wages and incurred substantial losses, when in fact the business was fake.

The IRS paid more than $300,000 in refunds to Whittaker based on the false claims; More than $80,000 from the IRS was used to pay debts that Whittaker had previously incurred, federal officials said.

The false claims charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profits or gross loss, whichever is greatest, the U.S. Attorney General’s Office said.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 13, 2023.

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