DEARBORN, Mich. – A Dearborn husband and wife have been charged by federal officials for declaring a false bankruptcy, wrongly receiving food stamps and evading taxes, authorities said.
In May 2017, Abraham and Samar Elsaghir filed a voluntary Chapter 7 petition in bankruptcy and received a discharge of their debts in August 2017, according to officials.
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The couple is accused of making false declarations in the bankruptcy petition by failing to report and underreporting income, court records show.
During that same time period, the Elsaghirs made false statements to the IRS on their 2016 tax return and to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to receive food stamps, federal officials said.
As part of a plea agreement, they admitted that from 2014-2020, they received nearly $60,000 in food stamps that they weren’t entitled to receive. They also admitted to owing the IRS an additional $70,000 for taxes from calendar years 2014-2018, according to the agreement.
Abraham Elsaghir agreed that he owes more than $166,000 to unsecured creditors in the bankruptcy case, authorities said.
The Elsaghirs were arraigned Tuesday (Feb. 22).
Abraham Elsaghir, 52, pleaded guilty to false statement to an agency of the United States, federal income tax evasion and bankruptcy fraud.
Samar Elsaghir, 51, pleaded guilty to false statement to an agency of the United States and federal income tax evasion.
“The Elsaghirs’ plea serves as an important reminder that federal income tax compliance should be equally shared among all Americans,” said special agent in charge Sarah Kull, of IRS Criminal Investigation at the Detroit field office. “Conspiring to defraud the government with a scheme to underreport taxable income and to steal money meant for low-income families is unlawful and shameful.”
They’re expected to be sentenced June 23. Both face maximum penalties of five years in prison.
