Adrienne Williams, Tax Fraud, North Carolina 2023

A North Carolina tax return preparer has been brought to justice for her role in a massive tax fraud scheme that bilked the federal government out of millions.

Adrienne Williams, the owner and operator of Ultimate Tax Service in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Between 2009 and 2017, Williams trained her employees on various ways to prepare false tax returns, including by claiming false federal income tax withholdings. In all, the false returns prepared and filed by Williams and her employees on behalf of clients sought more than $3.5 million in inflated refunds.

The scheme was uncovered by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted an investigation into the matter.

Williams faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a period of supervised release, as well as restitution and monetary penalties.

Sentencing is scheduled before U.S. District Court Judge Terrence W. Boyle.

The Justice Department's Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on their website.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/north-carolina-return-preparer-pleads-guilty-tax-fraud-scheme