The previous proprietor of Las Vegas’ Casa Don Juan eateries has been handed a 37-month prison term for perpetrating a $1.6 million tax fraud

Culinary figure Raul Gil convicted of orchestrating a sophisticated tax evasion scheme, involving underreporting $5.1 million in cash sales over five years, resulting in substantial IRS losses.

In a recent court ruling that sent shockwaves through the culinary scene of Las Vegas, Raul Gil, the former proprietor of three renowned Casa Don Juan restaurants, has been handed a 37-month prison sentence. This judgment stems from Gil’s involvement in a tax fraud scheme that spanned over half a decade, resulting in a staggering $1.6 million tax loss to the IRS.

The case, brought to light through a meticulous investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation division, revealed a pattern of deceit orchestrated by Gil. From 2014 to 2018, Gil allegedly instructed his internal bookkeeper to manipulate sales figures, intentionally underreporting cash transactions by an astonishing $5.1 million across his restaurant chain.

To further conceal his illicit activities, Gil purportedly supplied falsified sales records to an external tax preparer responsible for filing his federal income tax returns. When the IRS initiated an audit in July 2018, Gil resorted to desperate measures, instructing his accountant to furnish fabricated profit and loss statements mirroring the figures reported on his tax returns. Additionally, he directed his bookkeeper to present fictitious daily cash and sales reports, claiming they originated from the restaurants’ point-of-sale systems.

During the audit process, Gil went to great lengths to deceive the authorities, allegedly providing false information to the revenue agent conducting the investigation. Even when faced with IRS-Criminal Investigation special agents, he maintained the fiction, insisting that the fabricated records were accurate representations of the restaurants’ financial activities.

The repercussions of Gil’s actions have been severe. In addition to the substantial prison sentence, United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon also mandated a three-year supervised release following Gil’s incarceration. Furthermore, Gil has been ordered to pay a staggering $2,228,943.65 in restitution, aiming to compensate for the financial harm inflicted upon the IRS.

The announcement of Gil’s sentence and the circumstances surrounding this elaborate tax fraud scheme were made jointly by Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, and IRS CI Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick.

The case was diligently investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation division, with Trial Attorney Thomas Flynn of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada leading the prosecution.

The sentencing of Raul Gil sends a clear message about the gravity of tax fraud and the consequences of attempting to deceive federal authorities. As one of the prominent figures in the culinary landscape of Las Vegas faces the repercussions of his actions, this case stands as a stark reminder of the importance of transparency and compliance in financial dealings, especially in the realm of business and taxation.