Naperville man, brother plead guilty to $6.1M tax fraud

Two Illinois brothers have pleaded guilty in what federal authorities say was a $6.1 million tax fraud scheme.

U.S. Attorney Jim Lewis said Wednesday that 50-year-old Shaher Mizyed of Naperville and 46-year-old Mohammad Mizyed of Peoria will be sentenced in April for crimes including conspiracy to defraud the United States. Authorities say the brothers who formerly owned and operated a Fast Stop service station in Peoria admitted to conspiring to file false federal corporate income tax returns from 2006 through 2010.

Mohammad Mizyed also pleaded guilty to mail fraud and says he fraudulently received about $160,000 in state medical benefits.

Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and mail fraud crimes carry a penalty of up to 20 years.