United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

JURY FINDS FORMER BLOOMFIELD TAX PREPARER GUILTY

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury sitting in New Haven found PATRICK A. TRIUMPH, age 46, of 95 Woodland Avenue, Bloomfield, Connecticut, who had been self-employed as a paid tax return preparer, guilty on 10 counts of aiding and abetting the preparation of false tax returns. The jury returned its verdict yesterday, September 20, after a trial that lasted more than two weeks.

In July 2004, a federal grand jury sitting in Hartford returned a 40-Count Superseding Indictment charging TRIUMPH with 38 counts of aiding and abetting the preparation of false tax returns, one count of interfering with the administration of Internal Revenue Service laws by advising a third party to provide false information to the IRS during its investigation of his activities, and one count of knowingly and willfully failing to appear in court when required. The jury found TRIUMPH guilty of Counts 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 16, 17, 20 and 31, and also returned special findings that TRIUMPH engaged in acts constituting obstruction of justice in connection of Counts 5, 6, 7, and 8, and that we was a professional tax preparer. The jury was hung on the remaining aiding and abetting counts, and on the interference with IRS laws count. United States District Judge Janet B. Arterton severed the failure to appear count from this trial before it began, and jury selection on that count is currently scheduled for December 1.

When he is sentenced on December 3, 2004, TRIUMPH faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years on each count of his conviction.

As to the remaining count that is still to be tried, U.S. Attorney O'Connor stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the Government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dave Vatti.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov