A jury in a federal courtroom is deliberating the case against a Canfield lawyer accused of taking part in an alleged scheme to fraudulently collect a nearly $1.4 million income tax refund.

Robert Rohrbaugh II, 49, is on trial on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Offenses against the United States, Aiding and Abetting Theft of Government Property, Aiding and Abetting False Claims against the United States and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.

According to an indictment Rohrbaugh and two other men were part of a scheme to submit fraudulent federal income tax returns in the names of various fictitious entities to the IRS in order to obtain tax refunds to enrich themselves and others.

On one occasion, according to investigators, the men managed to obtain a refund check for a fictitious business in the amount of $1,352,779.   After obtaining the refund, the three then allegedly attempted to launder the money by purchasing high-end and luxury vehicles.

The U.S. Attorney says the men created phony business entities, trusts, Employer Identification Numbers, and prepared fraudulent income tax return documents, which reported large tax withholdings that never existed.

The indictment alleges that Rohrbaugh filed the documents creating a fictitious company and received payment of $150,000.

This is Rohrbaugh’s second trial on the allegations after a jury in an earlier case could not reach a unanimous verdict on four of the charges after 19 hours of deliberation. That jury did find Rohrbaugh “not guilty” of filing false tax returns.

Rohrbaugh’s co-defendant, Terris Chanley Baker of Canton was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Offenses against the United States, Aiding and Abetting Theft of Government Property, Aiding and Abetting False Claims against the United States and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.

Brandon Mace of Youngstown accepted a deal from prosecutors, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, aiding and abetting false claims against the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Mace is scheduled to be sentenced on February 14, 2023, while Baker’s sentencing hearing is set for the following day.