Philadelphia

Tax Fraud Added to List of Charges Against Ex-Philly Treasurer

Christian Dunbar was fired after criminal charges were initially filed against him last year

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Philadelphia’s former treasurer is now being charged with tax fraud and failure to file tax returns – in addition to 14 other charges that forced his ouster last year.

The latest charges against Christian Dunbar, 41, include three counts of failure to file tax returns and two counts of filing a false tax return. The charges came in the form of a superseding indictment and were added to charges that include embezzling money and faking a marriage to get U.S. citizenship.

Federal prosecutors allege in the new charges that Dunbar didn’t file taxes in 2017, 2018 and 2019 – during the last of which he was City of Philadelphia treasurer. They also say that he filed false tax returns in 2017 and 2018 by claiming business losses that resulted in tax refunds that he was not entitled to.

“Christian Dunbar allegedly perpetrated quite an array of fraud schemes. I guess he thought he’d get away with all of it. Today’s superseding indictment suggests otherwise,” Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, said in a press release. “The FBI and our partners won’t stand for fraudsters flouting federal law, particularly those who’ve wound up in positions of public trust.”

An attorney listed in court records as Dunbar’s did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Dunbar is also accused of stealing $15,000 from two Wells Fargo customers in 2015 and 2016, when he was employed with the bank and before he became City of Philadelphia treasurer.

In addition, prosecutors allege that Dunbar, a native of Liberia, made false statements and lied about with whom he was cohabitating and to whom he was married in order to get U.S. citizenship.

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He was fired as Philadelphia's treasurer after the original charges were filed.

If convicted, Dunbar faces 174 years in prison and a $6.025 million fine.

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