$1.68 million FBAR default judgment against Florida tax preparer
United States v. Mehta
On October 10, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida granted the United States’ motion for default judgment in United States v. Mehta, No. 8:25-cv-483-VMC-AEP.
The court entered judgment against Chandrakant P. Mehta for willful FBAR violations for 2016 and 2017.
Total as of August 12, 2025: $1,683,636.01, plus accruing statutory additions.
Why It Matters
The decision enforces timely assessed FBAR penalties and shows how failure to appear can result in default judgment that reduces assessments to a federal judgment for collection.
Key Facts
Parties: United States (plaintiff) v. Chandrakant P. Mehta (defendant).
Court/Judge: U.S. District Court, M.D. Fla., Tampa Division; Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington.
Issue: Willful failure to file FBARs reporting foreign financial accounts for 2016 and 2017.
Statutes/Regs: 31 U.S.C. §§ 5314, 5321(a)(5), 5321(b); 31 C.F.R. §§ 1010.306(c), 1010.350(a), 1010.350(b)(1), 1010.810(g); 31 C.F.R. § 5.5(a); 31 C.F.R. § 1010.821; 31 U.…
