Memphis, TN – In a shocking case of tax return deception, 35-year-old Lynette Hogue has been slapped with 33 federal charges for allegedly preparing and filing false tax returns for clients of her tax preparation business. According to the indictment, Hogue worked at a local tax preparation business in Memphis between 2021 and 2024, where she prepared and filed false and fraudulent income tax returns for her clients.
These returns allegedly contained false and fraudulent items, generating refunds that the clients were not entitled to receive. But that’s not all – Hogue also allegedly failed to file her own tax returns for the same years, despite earning substantial income from her tax preparation business. The indictment charges her with 29 counts of willfully aiding and assisting the preparation and presentation of false tax returns and four counts of willfully failing to file a tax return.
If convicted, Hogue faces up to three years in prison for each of the 29 false return counts and one year in prison for each of the four counts of failing to file a tax return. The indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd III and Matthew C. Hicks of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section. The investigation was led by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Hogue’s alleged crimes have left many in the Memphis community questioning the integrity of the tax preparation industry.
As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: Lynette Hogue’s alleged actions have put her at the center of a high-stakes tax return scandal. With 33 federal charges hanging over her head, Hogue’s future is far from certain. Only time will tell if she’ll be held accountable for her alleged crimes.
Source: Department of Justice
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