The SEC has temporarily suspended an Aurora, Colo.-based accountant whose actions as an auditor resulted in a federal court enjoining him from violating securities laws. The SEC took the action against Lawrence O'Donnell, whose operated the firm Larry O'Donnell CPA. O'Donnell drew court action for his alleged actions in signing off on the financial statements of Imperiali from 2006 through 2009 that assigned millions of dollars in values to what were said to be worthless assets.

Jill Ward, who has headed Intuit's programs for accountants, is leaving the company. In a letter, Ward says she would leave the Mountain View, Calif.-based company in March to return to be near her family in Boston, Mass. She will be replaced by Jim McGinnis, who joined Intuit in 2010 as VP of the Accounting Professionals Division. McGinnis brings several years of international experience to the accountant program.

A Georgia tax preparer who operates a Liberty Tax store has been permanently banned from preparing federal income tax returns for others. The Department of Justice alleges that the actions of Joan Leger of Stone Mountain, Ga., may have cost the United States more than $2 million in lost tax revenue.