Texas Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding the United States | WPN World People News

A Texas tax return preparer was sentenced to 60 months in prison for her role in a scheme to defraud the United States and for 27 months (consecutive) for filing a false federal tax return, for a total of 87 months, on October 9, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

According to the indictment and information provided to the court, Stacey Anderson owned a tax return preparation business, Anderson Professional Tax Services, and operated the business out of her residence. With the assistance of co-defendant Janell Lightner, Anderson prepared 2013 and 2014 tax returns claiming false business items and/or education tax credits, in order to fraudulently increase their clients’ tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These returns were prepared for clients in Texas, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Anderson also filed a 2014 tax return for herself, falsely claiming an education credit and reporting a fraudulent income amount. The total tax loss generated from this scheme exceeded $10 million.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Alan D. Albright, in Waco, Texas, ordered Anderson to serve a term of three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the United States in the amount of $8,100,492.64.

On Aug. 6, 2019, co-defendant Janell Lightner pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. Her sentencing, also in front of Judge Albright, is currently scheduled for Dec. 5, 2019.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice