Davidson County Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

NASHVILLE - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to Monday’s guilty plea of Charles A. Bright, Sr.

Bright, 57, pled guilty to four counts of sales tax evasion, four counts of theft over $10,000 and one count of impersonation of a licensed professional.

A Davidson County Grand Jury previously charged Bright for 74 counts of sales tax evasion, one count of theft over $60,000, three counts of theft over $10,000 and one count of impersonation of a licensed professional. Bright, owner of Maryland Accounting Firm, used his position as a tax preparer to gain the trust of local business owners. He then diverted sales tax payments, which should have been paid directly to the Department of Revenue, for his personal use.    

Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Seth Norman accepted Bright’s guilty plea and sentenced him to six years of supervised probation. Bright was also ordered to pay restitution of $80,000.

“The Department of Revenue promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance by educating taxpayers, aggressively pursuing criminal sanctions and demanding accountability when tax preparers engage in fraudulent activity," said Revenue Commissioner Richard H. Roberts. "This conviction underscores the Department's ongoing efforts to enforce Tennessee's tax laws."

The Department pursued this criminal case in cooperation with Jerry Estes and his staff at the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. Citizens who suspect violations of Tennessee's revenue laws should call the toll-free tax fraud hot line at (800) FRAUDTX (372-8389).

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2015 fiscal year, it collected $12.6 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $2.4 billion in taxes and fees for local governments.  To learn more about the Department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.

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