Tax Return Preparer Scam Exposed in Miami
A federal court in Miami has permanently barred tax return preparer Jessyca Bernard from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The civil injunction order, to which Bernard agreed, was signed by Chief Judge K. Michael Moore of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
According to the complaint, Bernard, of Lauderhill, Florida, owned and operated Proper Taxes, Inc. in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The complaint alleges that Bernard fabricated losses for her customers’ side businesses in order to secure refunds to which her customers were not entitled.
One example cited in the complaint shows that Bernard prepared a customer’s tax returns that reported losses of more than $27,000 and $22,000 based upon fictitious expenditures for supplies, utilities, and medical expenses.
She also prepared another return that fabricated more than $11,000 in losses, including $8,000 in supplies for the customer’s side business of washing cars on weekends, according to the complaint.
The IRS has identified return preparer fraud as one of the Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2018, and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant.
The IRS has some tips on its website for choosing a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers.
A listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on the Justice Department’s website. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Defendant: Jessyca Bernard
Criminal Charges: Fabricating losses for customers’ side businesses to secure false refunds
City and State: Lauderhill, Florida
Date: Today (no specific date provided)
Sentence or Outcome: Permanently barred from preparing federal tax returns
Dollar Amounts: $27,000, $22,000, $11,000, $8,000
Company: Proper Taxes, Inc.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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