Dianne Mowatt, Tax Return Preparation Fraud, FL 2023

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – Dianne Mowatt, 39, of Port St. Lucie, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 30 months for running a brazen tax fraud scheme. Mowatt, who once owned and operated Mowatt Financial Services and Proven Tax Services, was found guilty of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and filing false tax returns herself, a direct violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 7206(2) and (1).

The sentence, handed down this week, will be followed by one year of supervised release. Federal prosecutors detailed a five-count indictment revealing Mowatt systematically filed fraudulent returns for clients and boosted her own income by falsely claiming dependents. The scheme spanned from tax years 2011 through 2014, preying on unsuspecting taxpayers and cheating the federal government.

According to court documents and the factual proffer supporting her guilty plea – entered on March 6, 2017 – Mowatt’s businesses, located in both Port St. Lucie and Miami, were built on a foundation of deceit. She prepared and submitted individual tax returns (Forms 1040) packed with bogus deductions and credits. Simultaneously, she filed her own false individual returns for 2010 and 2011, falsely listing five individuals as dependents to inflate her refund.

Acting United States Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, along with Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI, jointly announced the sentencing. “This case underscores our commitment to prosecuting those who exploit the tax system for personal gain,” stated a release from the USAO. The investigation was spearheaded by the IRS Criminal Investigation division, known for its relentless pursuit of tax-related offenses.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marton Gyires skillfully prosecuted the case, building a solid case based on meticulous financial records and evidence gathered by IRS-CI agents. The 52-count indictment initially painted a broad picture of the fraud, but Mowatt ultimately pleaded guilty to five key counts.

Court documents related to the case are publicly available on the District Court for the Southern District of Florida’s website, www.flsd.uscourts.gov, and through the PACER system at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. This sentencing serves as a warning: manipulating the tax system comes with severe consequences. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this and other federal cases as they develop.