Milwaukee man sentenced to prison for preparing false tax returns

Date: June 17, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 15, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig sentenced Cameron Summers to one year and one day in prison for two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(2). Summers claimed on his clients' tax returns false expenses, credits, and refunds to which they were not entitled.

According to court records, Summers worked at a tax preparation business in Milwaukee beginning in 2018. From 2020 through 2022, he filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over 400 individual income tax returns for clients, using his name, preparer tax identification number, and business name. Summers repeatedly used false items on clients' tax returns to inflate refund amounts, including false business expenses, Sick and Family Leave Credits, Fuel Credits, and Educational Tax Credits. Summers made notations stating that he had "boosted" the refund amount on some returns, and told the IRS, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), in an interview that he did everything he could to get a big refund, such as using whatever numbers were available and maximizing the credits.

During the hearing, Judge Ludwig noted several factors affecting the sentence, including the very serious nature of Summers' criminal conduct, the loss to the IRS of over $1.1 million, and the need to provide adequate deterrence to others who might engage in such conduct. Judge Ludwig also ordered Summers to pay more than $1.1 million in restitution, and to serve one year of supervised release.

"When someone commits tax fraud, they are stealing from all Americans who work hard and pay their taxes honestly," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. "Anyone who commits fraud should expect to be sent to the federal penitentiary, like this defendant."

In addition, on April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ("Fraud Division"). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

IRS-CI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Scully prosecuted.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.