Man Indicted in Computer Tax Shelter Scheme

A Granada Hills man was indicted Tuesday on a dozen charges stemming from what federal prosecutors said was an income tax shelter in which victims were duped into investing in pirated computer software programs.

Christopher Charek, 39, was charged with aiding in the preparation of false income tax returns of 12 investors, but Internal Revenue Service investigators indicated that close to 400 people may have been duped in the case.

Charek allegedly told investors that his company owned the rights to home software programs, which the indictment says were pirated from an Oklahoma firm Charek had done work for. Investors were told they would acquire tax credits in return for cash payments to Charek’s firm, Lakefront Sales & Leasing of Cleveland, which cost the government more than $120,000 in unpaid taxes, the indictment said.

If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 36 years in federal prison.