Acworth Businessman Tried To Bribe IRS Agent Out Of Paying Taxes

ATLANTA – An Acworth business owner has has pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe an IRS Revenue Agent to get out of paying his personal and business taxes. Magdaleno Garcia Alonso, 50, who owned and operated Acworth Georgia Concrete, also has admitted to federal authorities he is a Mexican citizen living illegally in the United States.

Garcia filed tax returns with the IRS for 2015 and 2016, both as an individual and on behalf of his concrete business. The IRS then began auditing his tax returns and determined Garcia owed approximately $234,000 in back taxes for his business and approximately $111,000 in back taxes personally.

In mid-September 2018, Garcia offered to pay an IRS agent a bribe if the agent reduced Garcia’s tax liabilities. The agent reported Garcia’s bribe offer, and federal agents set up an undercover operation.

On September 19, 2018, Garcia met the agent at a fast-food restaurant in Cobb County and proposed if the agent reduced his back taxes from $345,000 to $100,000, he would pay the IRS agent $30,000 in cash. Garcia also hand wrote an agreement setting out the terms of the bribe. In her undercover role, the IRS agent agreed and signed Garcia’s contract. Garcia then gave the agent $20,000 in cash.

On November 10, 2018, federal law enforcement officers arrested Garcia as he arrived to meet the agent and give her an additional $5,000 cash bribe.

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