A Sacramento area tax attorney was sentenced to three years in jail after pleading guilty to filing falsified tax returns in the name of former NFL safety Antrel Rolle.
According to Bloomberg, Hiram M. Martin of Fair Oaks, Calif., was given a maximum 36-month sentence and ordered to repay $1,223,480 in restitution.
Martin reportedly filed tax documents in Rolle’s name without his permission and forged his signature on documents. Additionally, he also listed himself as the contact person for the IRS to keep inquiries from reaching his client.
“Martin admitted in his plea agreement that he submitted false tax returns for Rolle, who hired Martin when he was a 23-year-old rookie in the National Football League,” representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Central District of California wrote.
“The tax returns claimed millions of dollars in bogus charitable donations and business expenses, and Martin never informed Rolle about the phony deductions.”
He was initially charged with attempting to obstruct and impede the administration of internal revenue laws and three counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false documents. He pleaded guilty to the one felony count of obstruction in January.
Rolle played 11 seasons in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants and Chicago Bears. He won a Super Bowl with the Giants in 2011, was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time second-team All-Pro.