Story by Ethan
On October 22nd, 2025, the arrest of Jonathan Ernest Girodes, age 48, was announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr.. Jonathan Ernest Girodes was charged with first-degree Scheme to Defraud, as well as second and third-degree Grand Larceny. The arrest and charges against Jonathan Ernest Girodes were a result of an investigation handled by the New York Department of Taxation and Finance, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, recorded court documents and statements allege from October 4th, 2022, to July 31st, 2025, Jonathan Ernest Girodes used his operation of American Accounting Services Inc., a tax preparation service, to scam victims out of at least $250,000. The defendant was formerly a tax advisor under his first and middle name “Johnathan Ernest”, and allegedly used the allure of lowering tax bills to steal from three separate clients. The three clients were an elderly couple that sold their home of 40 years to have funds for retirement, a second elderly couple needing financial assistance after receiving money from a recently deceased relative, and a medical student managing school payments with inheritance left from a family member that passed away.
Allegedly Jonathan Ernest Girodes proposed to the victims that they could apply for an “offer in compromise” with the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state tax authorities including the New York Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF), and negotiate favorable results for potentially lower tax bills. The defendant would allegedly then instruct each victim to send him a portion of their tax liabilities to be held in “escrow” for during the time negotiations are taking place. After being sent the money by the clients to safekeep, allegedly Jonathan Ernest Girodes used said funds for personal use and purchases. When the clients questioned about progress or their money it is alleged that the defendant gave false claims and forged letters impersonating the IRS and DTF demanding more money must be placed in “escrow”. The victims complied and would send Jonathan Ernest Girodes further funds, which allegedly were also used for the defendant’s personal business.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Jonathan Ernest Girodes are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
