The firm representing client, Mason Warr, secured a jury verdict of “not guilty” as to all COVID and tax fraud charges following a two week-long federal criminal trial in the District of Utah. The trial concluded on September 25, 2024.

Mr. Warr was accused of participating in a tax fraud scheme to defraud the United States by allegedly filing false and fraudulent Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) claims under the CARES ACT. Mr. Warr’s acquittal puts to rest a multiyear investigation and lengthy legal battle.

The jury’s verdict resulted in Mr. Warr’s full acquittal of the 25 charged offenses. His defense team stated, “It was a privilege to not only finally tell the public Mason’s story, but to defend him against these wrongful accusations and charges. We knew that once a jury got to see the whole truth, they would find Mason innocent.”

The government alleged that Mr. Warr, along with claimed co-conspirators, engaged in a fraudulent scheme to falsify information on ERC claims to the IRS on behalf of accounting clients. Mr. Warr served as the CEO and one of the founders of COS Accounting, which specialized in tax services for 1099 employees -- primarily door-to-door salespeople. The government alleged that one of Mr. Warr’s employees, who headed up the ERC filing department, worked in concert with Mr. Warr and others to develop the scheme with him. The jury’s verdict repudiated these allegations.

Dentons litigation team was led by shareholders Trinity Jordan (SLC) and Aaron Clark (SLC) and associate Jake Lee (SLC) who fought these allegations for years, resulting in the not guilty verdict before the Honorable Howard C. Nielson Jr. in the District of Utah.

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