Related Federal Cases
Tax Scammer Targets Chicago-Area Residents
A Chicago-area woman and her businesses are accused of preparing and filing false tax returns for hundreds of individuals, the federal government announced today. Laurie G. Helfer, aka Laurie G. Powell, and her companies, Laurie’s Freelance & Tax Preparation Services and Tax Lady Laurie Inc., are at the center of the scandal.
According to a federal court complaint, Helfer prepares and files amended tax returns for individuals claiming refunds they are not entitled to. The tax loss to the U.S. Treasury could exceed $3 million, the complaint alleges.
Helfer promises her customers that she can obtain tax refunds for them by amending their tax returns from prior years, but she allegedly fabricates expenses from non-existent businesses to offset their income and generate a refund, the complaint states. She also prepares original returns using this same scheme during tax-filing season.
To avoid detection by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Helfer stopped signing the tax returns and frequently changes the locations in which she prepares customers’ tax returns, including various Chicago-area hotel rooms, the complaint alleges.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2014. The IRS has tips on their website for choosing a tax preparer. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers.
U.S. authorities have filed a complaint for permanent injunction and other relief against Laurie G. Helfer, aka Laurie G. Powell, individually and through her businesses Laurie’s Freelance & Tax Preparation Services and Tax Lady Laurie Inc.
Related to this case is United States v. Laurie G. Helfer, etc. et al.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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