San Diego tax evasion case heads to sentencing after guilty plea

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San Diego tax evasion sentencing

Highlights

Peter L. Roper pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion for failing to report $19 million in income and owing over $6.7 million in federal taxes from 2010 to 2021.
Roper concealed assets by using business accounts for personal expenses and spent $187,432.34 on a McLaren 650S Spider and $277,698.50 on an Aston Martin DBX.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 8, 2027, with the tax evasion charge carrying a maximum five-year prison term under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

Court case details and alleged tax conduct

As reported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Peter L. Roper of San Diego pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion in federal court after authorities said he and his businesses failed to report income and pay taxes owed to the IRS.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Roper operated several La Jolla-based businesses that marketed and sold purported federal tax credits across the United States. Prosecutors said that between 2010 and 2021, Roper and those businesses received nearly $19 million in income and owed more than $6.7 million in federal income taxes, but did not report that income on tax returns or pay the taxes due.

Authorities said Roper used business bank accounts to cover personal expenses and concealed assets by placing them in the names of other people. The Justice Department said he spent $187,432.34 on a 2015 McLaren 650S Spider and $277,698.50 on a 2021 Aston Martin DBX instead of paying taxes.

Sentencing timeline and enforcement impact

Roper is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2027. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, and the charge carries a maximum prison term of five years.

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, while Trial Attorneys John C. Gerardi and Charles A. O'Reilly of the National Fraud Enforcement Division's Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Brooks for the Southern District of California are prosecuting it.

Our earlier coverage of Pakistan’s income tax filing deadline focused on mounting pressure for the Federal Board of Revenue to extend Tax Year 2026 submissions, as tax experts and business groups argued taxpayers need more time after the final return form was notified. The article highlighted reported technical glitches on the IRIS portal, pending extension requests, and concerns that procedural hurdles could expose otherwise compliant filers to penalties.

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