Federal Court Shuts Down Texas Tax Return Preparer | WPN World People News

A federal court in Beaumont, Texas, entered a permanent injunction against Sylvia Rodriguez, aka Sylvia Ornelas, barring her from preparing federal tax returns for others and owning or operating a tax preparation business, the Justice Department announced, on March 29.

The court found that Rodriguez engaged in fraudulent and deceptive conduct that substantially interfered with the administration of the tax laws.

In its complaint, the government alleged that Rodriguez prepared tax returns making false or fraudulent claims for the Earned Income Tax Credit, the fuel tax credit, and the American Opportunity Credit. In addition, Rodriguez allegedly reported fictitious business and inflated federal income tax withholdings on her customers’ returns. Also, according to the complaint, Rodriguez did not give some customers copies of their filed tax returns, or gave them returns that were different from those that were filed.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice