John McFakeson is probably the most unlikely candidate for a fraud lawsuit. Perhaps he needed to tell himself he was lying.
The 75-year-old Queens real estate agent was recently charged with a total of four federal offenses after telling government officials he was a retired Navy Seal — a fact he evidently didn’t want to reveal, according to court documents.
McFakeson alleged to U.S. agents that he had lived in both Las Vegas and a home in New Jersey under names he had invented, including Keith Bryant and Shawn Bodner. They had been working as an Air Force member and an elementary school principal, he told the IRS, but never actually enrolled in either position, the court papers revealed.
The listing for his New Jersey home was a fake, he lied about his fishing business, and he falsely told the IRS that he made about $50,000 per year selling real estate, but he actually earned about $21,000.
McFakeson pleaded not guilty last week to four counts, including tax evasion, perjury, and making false statements to agents. He will be expected to stand trial in November.
McFakeson’s attorney declined to comment.