A Lawrenceville tax preparer was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison Wednesday for filing fraudulent tax returns, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Roberta L. Allen, 49, also must pay restitution of about $640,000, perform 100 hours of community service and serve one year of supervised release after prison, authorities said in the news release.
According to prosecutors, Allen prepared fraudulent federal income tax returns from 2009 through 2010 at Refund Now Tax Services. She overstated capital losses and taxes paid, causing clients to get fraudulent tax credits, and charged “exorbitant fees” for her services, authorities said.
The scheme led to more than $600,000 in tax losses to the Department of the Treasury.
Allen pleaded guilty and was convicted on Oct. 8, 2013.
“Taxpayers should choose carefully when hiring a tax preparer,” said Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “As the old saying goes, ‘If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.’ ”
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