D.A. Bragg Announces Guilty Plea In Scheme That Stole $250k From Older Adults And A Medical Student

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the guilty plea of JONATHAN ERNEST GIRODES, 48, for stealing at least $250,000 from at least three clients through his tax preparation business, American Accounting Services, Inc. GIRODES pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. Under the terms of his plea, GIRODES is expected to be sentenced on November 23 to a promised term of 4-8 years in state prison.

"Jonathan Ernest Girodes promised to reduce New Yorkers' tax bills ethically and legally. Instead, he broke the trust of these older adults and a medical student and stole approximately $250,000 to line his own pockets," said District Attorney Bragg. "Individuals who scam New Yorkers will be held accountable. If you are a victim of a financial crime, please call us at 212-335-8900."

"The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) takes all investigations into tax preparer misconduct seriously," said TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge Michael L.J. Carpenter. "We would like to thank our law enforcement partners and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for prosecuting such egregious acts in this case."

According to court documents and statements made on the record, between October 4, 2022, and July 31, 2025, GIRODES operated a tax preparation business called American Accounting Services Inc. and exploited his role as tax advisor to steal at least $250,000 from at least three clients.

GIRODES, going by his first and middle name, "Jonathan Ernest," targeted at least three clients, including an elderly couple who had sold their residence of 40 years to fund their retirement, another elderly couple attempting to manage money left to them after a loved one's death, and a medical student who had received an inheritance from a deceased family member to pay for medical school.

With each of these clients, GIRODES promised that he could reduce their tax bills by applying for an "offer in compromise" with both the federal Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and state tax authorities, including New York's Department of Taxation and Finance ("DTF"), and negotiating with those tax authorities for a favorable result. He instructed those clients to send him a portion of their anticipated tax liabilities in advance to be held in "escrow" while he negotiated with tax authorities on their behalf.

When clients sent GIRODES the money as instructed, he stole the funds for his personal use. Over the subsequent months, GIRODES repeatedly defrauded those clients by falsely claiming that the IRS and state tax authorities were demanding that additional funds be placed in escrow. At times, GIRODES sent those clients forged letters from the IRS or DTF purporting to make these demands. When clients complied and sent additional funds to GIRODES, he stole those funds as well.

Eventually, each of the victims learned that GIRODES had never successfully negotiated an offer in compromise or paid taxes on their behalf. After having been defrauded by GIRODES for tens of thousands of dollars each, these victims were left to foot their tax bills with penalties and interest.

Assistant D.A. Benjamin Reed (Financial Frauds Bureau) is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Kelly Thomas (Deputy Chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau), Kofi Sansculotte (Chief of the Financial Frauds Bureau), Judy Salwen (Deputy Chief of the Investigation Division) and Executive Assistant D.A. Jodie Kane (Chief of the Investigation Division). Senior Investigator William Martinez and Investigator Antonio Shilinsky assisted with the investigation, along with other members of Senior Rackets Team 2 of the D.A.'s Investigations Bureau. Investigative Analyst Brianna Vaca is providing valuable assistance in this case as well as members of our Forensic Accounting and Financial Investigations Bureau including Principal Financial Investigator Zerina Sejdaras.

D.A. Bragg thanked the Department of Taxation and Finance, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for their partnership in this investigation.

Defendant Information:

JONATHAN ERNEST GIRODES

Miami, Florida

Convicted:

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count

###