Court Shuts Down Charleston, South Carolina Tax Return Preparer | WPN World People News

A federal court in Charleston, South Carolina permanently enjoined Jacqueline Lowndes from preparing federal tax returns for others. The court also ordered Lowndes to mail a copy of the injunction order to all customers for whom she prepared a return for tax years 2012 through 2016. Lowndes agreed to the civil injunction order entered against her.

According to the complaint, Lowndes prepared federal income tax returns for customers that reported false, improper or inflated deductions which understated the customers’ income tax liabilities and increased their refunds. Lowndes also allegedly falsely claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit on behalf of customers who did not qualify for the credit by exaggerating the customers’ losses and expenses, falsely claiming dependents for customers, and falsely changing the filing status of customers. Returns prepared by Lowndes underreported tax liabilities or overstated tax refunds by over $600,000, according to the complaint.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice