North Dakota
Man pleads guilty to filing fraudulent tax returns for North Dakota clients
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A former tax return preparer, who provided services to clients in North Dakota, pleaded guilty Wednesday to five counts of preparing false tax returns for clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Joseph Korha, currently of Minneapolis, Minnesota, worked as a tax return preparer for a business located in Phoenix, Arizona.
In 2019, Korha prepared and submitted more than 100 fraudulent returns for clients, many of whom resided in the Fargo area.
Korha claimed false tax credits and fictitious business profits and losses on these returns, which inflated his clients’ tax refunds. In total, Korha caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $294,000.
Korha is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, June 3, 2024, at 10 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return.
He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider for the District of North Dakota made the announcement.
“This guilty plea is a victory for honest taxpayers,” Schneider said. “Nobody likes taxes, but when a preparer willfully commits fraud, that’s a crime that hurts the millions of Americans who work with trusted professionals to follow the law. I want to thank our partners at IRS Criminal Investigation for ensuring justice was done in this case.”
“A guilty plea is a good first step in achieving justice for taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, IRS Criminal Investigation’s St. Louis Field Office. “CI is happy to work alongside our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office to track down fraudulent tax preparers and hold them accountable for taking advantage of unsuspecting taxpayers.”
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Dominick Giovanniello of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Healy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota are prosecuting the case.
Copyright 2024 KVLY. All rights reserved.
11 Mar NORTH DAKOTANS WIN NEARLY A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS
in News
March 11, 2026
Media Contact: Ryan Koppy 701.328.1574
BISMARCK, ND – Multiple North Dakota Lottery players have won big over the last seven days, one hitting a $150,000 Powerball with Power Play prize and four others winning $22,000 2by2 jackpot prizes! The $150,000 Powerball with Power Play ticket matched four white balls and the Powerball (22, 23, 28, 36, 54; Powerball 13; Power Play 3) on the Monday, March 9, draw. The four, $22,000 2by2 jackpot prizes were won on March 3, 4, 6, and 9.
The Powerball prize was $50,000, but as the player had also purchased the Power Play option, the ticket is worth $150,000. The lucky ticket was purchased via the North Dakota Lottery’s Pick & Click online play service by an anonymous player from Bottineau and the player has yet to claim the prize. The Pick & Click online play service gives players the option to buy tickets, – via the Lottery website or mobile app – for a single draw, multiple draws, or four weeks at a time with a subscription.
The four, $22,000 2by2 jackpot winning tickets were sold at Cenex (209 4th Ave SW, Garrison), Hornbacher’s Osgood (4151 45th St. South, Fargo), Petro Serve USA (W. Main St., Valley City), and Berger’s Landing Strip (100 A Avenue, Emerado). All four retailers will each receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning 2by2 tickets. The prizes won in Fargo and Valley City have been claimed by anonymous players from Fargo and Rogers, ND.
“The lottery luck continues in North Dakota” said Thomas Lawler, director of the North Dakota Lottery. “Over the past three months, North Dakota Lottery players have won thirteen $22,000 2by2 jackpots, and two $150,000 Powerball prizes. 2by2 has had 763 jackpot winners and 32 Tuesday Doubler jackpot winners since the game launched in early 2006.” Winners have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prize.
The Powerball jackpot for Wednesday, March 11 draw is $58 million. The 2by2 game draws every day and the jackpot is always $22,000. For winning numbers and other information, visit LOTTERY.ND.GOV.
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The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.
Long Beach State hosted North Dakota State on March 10 where they suffered a 5-2 loss. Freshman Nina Sepulveda had two hits in the loss. Long Beach State will resume Big West play this weekend when they travel to UC Riverside for a three-game series starting Friday, March 13.
GRAND FORKS — Four area athletes were selected to the North Dakota Division A all-state girls basketball team, which was released by the North Dakota High School Coaches Association on Tuesday.
The North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association will release all-state teams later this month.
Thompson’s Addison Sage led the way as a first team all-state pick, as well as receiving the division’s Outstanding Senior Athlete honor. Her coach, Jason Brend, was the Coach of the Year.
All-state second team choices from the area are Devils Lake junior Tylie Brodina, Four Winds-Minnewaukan sophomore Suri Gourd and Thompson senior Kya Hurst.
Sage, a 5-foot-6 guard, averaged 22.3 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.2 steals per game. Sage has more than 1,900 career points and holds the Tommies’ all-time scoring record.
Brodina, a 5-8 guard, averaged 18.8 points and 2.6 steals per game. She shot 82 percent from the foul line and 32 percent from 3-point range.
Hurst, a 5-6 forward, averaged 16.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She added 3.7 steals and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range. Hurst has scored more than 1,600 points and grabbed more than 840 rebounds in her career.
Gourd, a 5-8 guard, averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.4 steals per game. Gourd has more than 1,600 career points in her career with two more seasons to play.
Gourd led Four Winds-Minnewaukan from a 5-17 record last season to a 16-8 mark this year.
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