An Alabama chiropractor has been accused of evading $2.4 million in self-reported taxes, filing false tax returns, and obstructing the Internal Revenue Service, according to a federal indictment.

Chiropractor Evades $2.4M In Taxes : False Tax Returns

and Obstruction

Gary Forrest Edwards, chiropractor and owner of Hoover Health & Wellness Center, was indicted Wednesday on charges that he failed to pay $2.4 million after reporting these liabilities on late-filed returns from 2009 to 2013, the Department of Justice said in a news release. The chiropractor's evasion allegedly involved transferring assets to his wife, providing false information to the IRS, filing false returns, and lying to investigators from 2015 to 2023.

Chiropractor Evades $2.4M In Taxes : Misleading the Courts

The indictment also claims Edwards misled a local court by filing documents falsely stating that notices of federal tax liens against him were terminated. This was part of his broader effort to obstruct IRS collection efforts, according to the DOJ.

Longtime Practitioner Under Scrutiny

Edwards, a chiropractic orthopedist, has practiced in Hoover for several decades, treating thousands of patients. The Hoover Health & Wellness website highlights his extensive experience in the field. Despite this professional background, the chiropractor's evasion of tax responsibilities has brought him under severe federal scrutiny.

Legal Consequences

Edwards faces up to five years in prison for tax evasion, three years for obstruction, and additional years for filing false tax returns, the DOJ said. The gravity of these charges underscores the severity of the chiropractor's evasion of tax laws and the lengths he allegedly went to avoid paying his dues.

Chiropractor Evades $2.4M In Taxes : Legal Representation and Comments

An attorney for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama declined to comment on the ongoing case. Edwards did not respond to a message left at Hoover Health. The U.S. is represented by Isaiah Boyd of the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, and by Ted Canter of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama. Counsel information for Edwards was unavailable at the time of reporting.