The international president of B'nai B'rith has resigned after he was arrested and charged last week in the US with tax fraud.

Dennis Glick, an accountant from Pennsylvania who was elected to a three-year term as president of the organisation in December 2009, was indicted on March 15 with aiding and assisting in the preparation of false federal income-tax returns.

Glick was arrested on March 23 and arraigned last Thursday. He was released on a $50,000 bail after pleading not guilty.

The charges stem from Glick's work for United Professional Plans, an administrator of dental-insurance plans for labour union health and welfare funds, according to a statement from the US Department of Justice.

Glick, 67, prepared tax returns for Jonathon Felix, who ran United Professional Plans, according to the indictment, and in 2004 allegedly prepared false returns covering 1999-2002. He is also accused of lying to criminal investigators who were probing Felix's files in 2004 and 2005.

If convicted, Glick faces a sentence of 15 years in prison

Glick had been active in B'nai B'rith for 40 years and had held a variety of positions, including treasurer and chairman of the Youth Commission. In a statement, the organisation said he was leaving "for personal reasons" and thanked him for his years of service.

A new interim president, Allan J Jacobs, of Lake Forest, Illinois, was named until B'nai Br'ith meets next month to elect a new head.

If he is convicted, Glick faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of $1.25 million.

His lawyer, Henry Hockeimer, could not immediately be reached for comment. In an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, he said: "We are bewildered that the government would file criminal charges under the facts of this case, and we fully expect Mr Glick to be exonerated at trial."