Laquanda Gilmore Garrott, Aiding and Assisting the Filing of False Federal Income Tax Returns, Alabama 2015

It’s payback time for Montgomery, Alabama’s Laquanda Gilmore Garrott. The 39-year-old was convicted this week on ten counts of aiding and assisting the filing of false federal income tax returns, a scheme that netted her more than $370,000 in fees.

The jury heard evidence that between 2011 and 2015, Garrott, operating under the guise of L&G Associates, LLC, padded clients’ refunds by falsely inflating business losses. One client was claimed to have lost over $30,000 on a non-existent lawn care business. The scheme siphoned hard-earned dollars from taxpayers for Garrott’s gain.

Garrott’s business raked in over 1,500 returns during the height of her crime spree, with the IRS CI noting that she collected over $370,000 in tax preparation fees. Now, justice is catching up: each count carries a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment, substantial fines, and an order for restitution.

United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., had this to say: ‘Filing false tax returns is not only a crime against the government but also against every American taxpayer.’ He vowed to continue targeting those who steal from the public coffers.

Thomas J. Holloman, III, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS CI Atlanta Field Office, echoed the sentiment: ‘This conviction serves as a stark reminder that there is no free money and no leniency for those who think they can game the system.’

The investigation was led by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross and Alice S. LaCour are handling the prosecution.

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