Tax Fraud Pastor & Daughter Get Prison

TAMPA, FL – A Tampa pastor and his daughter are facing the consequences for a brazen tax fraud scheme that siphoned over $11 million from the U.S. Treasury. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday handed down a four-year, nine-month federal prison sentence to Luckner Stimphil (55, Brandon) today for conspiracy to defraud the United States. His daughter, Elwolfine Dufort (31, Riverview), received a two-year federal prison sentence last week for her role in the elaborate con.

The pair pleaded guilty in February 2019, admitting to systematically falsifying tax returns through Stimphil’s business, Top Popular Tax, which operated out of Tampa, Winter Haven, and other locations from approximately 2011 through at least mid-2015. The court also ordered Stimphil and Dufort to jointly pay $11 million in restitution to the United States, along with a $10,000 fine levied against Stimphil. This isn’t just about stolen money; it’s about the wreckage left in the wake of their greed.

Court documents reveal that Stimphil, while serving as pastor at First Calvary Family Life Ministry, used Top Popular Tax as a front to prepare and file fraudulent IRS Forms 1040 for clients. He and Dufort, along with other employees under Stimphil’s direction, routinely fabricated information on Schedule C forms (business income or loss) and Forms 8863 (claiming the American opportunity credit). The scheme even extended to falsely claiming credits for federal tax on fuels, adding insult to injury for honest taxpayers.

“Together, Luckner Stimphil and his daughter, Elwolfine Dufort, were responsible for preparing false tax returns that caused more than $11 million dollars in losses to the IRS, essentially stealing the tax dollars paid by honest Americans,” stated Special Agent in Charge Mary Hammond of IRS Criminal Investigation. “As unconscionable as that sounds, the damage did not stop there. Their actions upended the lives of their clients who now must sort out the mess caused by the false returns Stimphil and Dufort filed in their names.”

The fallout extends beyond the financial hit. Stimphil and Dufort have been permanently barred from preparing or assisting in the preparation of federal tax returns, maintaining any association with a tax return preparation business, or even teaching others how to prepare returns. Stimphil also agreed to pay all outstanding taxes, interest, and penalties owed to the IRS for the years 2012 and 2013. This is a clear message: exploiting the tax system for personal gain will be met with swift and severe justice.

The investigation was led by IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jay G. Trezevant and Craig R. Gestring. This case serves as a stark reminder to taxpayers to exercise caution when choosing a tax preparer and to ensure their returns are filed accurately and honestly. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.

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