A Stone Mountain tax preparer was sentenced to two years in federal prison Monday for filing thousands of fraudulent tax returns using the names of refugees, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Joan Leger, 48, claimed $4 million in refunds for clients who were unaware of the fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney John Horn said
“This defendant took advantage of refugees’ limited understanding of tax laws to file fraudulent tax returns in their names,” Horn said. “Her fraudulent actions cost American taxpayers millions of dollars.”
Between 2008 and 2012, Leger operated two tax preparation businesses in Stone Mountain; J & Company Tax Service and 1804 Tax Group Inc.
“In particular, Leger included false income and created phony businesses, faking both income and expenses for those businesses,” according to a federal statement. “Leger received monetary fees from the fraudulent refunds. ”
Leger, who was convicted in March, was also ordered to pay nearly $135,000 in restitution.
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