Tiga Bryant, Tax Return Preparer Fraud, Louisiana 2023

Crime Pays Dirty in the Big Easy: New Orleans Tax Return Preparer Charged with Fraud

Tiga Bryant, a New Orleans-area woman who runs Denson’s Fast Tax Services, is facing a court order to shut down her tax return preparation business after the government accused her of preparing fraudulent tax returns for her customers.

According to a federal civil complaint filed in New Orleans, Bryant has been improperly claiming bogus deductions and false fuel tax credits for her customers, resulting in over $800,000 in understated tax liabilities. In one example cited in the complaint, Bryant falsely claimed that a customer incurred employee business expenses totaling more than the wages they earned.

The government alleges that Bryant’s customers were not entitled to the fuel tax credit because they did not purchase fuel for off-highway business use. In one egregious example, Bryant reported that a customer used 2,500 gallons of fuel for off-highway business use, despite the fact that the customer did not even own a vehicle.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audited 197 returns prepared by Bryant and determined that she claimed credits and/or deductions her customers were not entitled to take on 96 percent (189) of these returns. The IRS is reminding taxpayers that return preparer fraud is one of the Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and is urging taxpayers to remain vigilant when choosing a tax preparer.

The Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers in the past decade. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

The IRS has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers and has information available on its website on how to choose a tax preparer and avoid scams.

Tiga Bryant’s alleged crimes highlight the importance of choosing a reputable and trustworthy tax preparer. Taxpayers should be wary of preparers who promise unrealistic refunds or who claim that they can get you a bigger refund than others.

The case against Tiga Bryant serves as a reminder that tax return preparer fraud is a serious crime that can have serious consequences for individuals and the community as a whole.

The Tax Division is committed to protecting taxpayers from unscrupulous tax preparers and will continue to work tirelessly to bring these individuals to justice.

Tiga Bryant’s case is just one example of the many cases of tax return preparer fraud that the Tax Division has pursued in recent years. The division is urging taxpayers to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

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