Four preparers from St. Petersburg, Fla., have been sentenced to prison tax refund fraud. They were also ordered to pay $1,006,881 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and to never prepare tax returns for third parties again.The four were found guilty of conspiracy to commit tax fraud and aiding or assisting in the preparation of false income tax return documents for returns prepared and filed from January 2017 through April 2019.
Ashley Flournoy of Riverview, Fla., drew two years in prison last month. The other three, all from St. Petersburg, previously sentenced and their prison terms are Jamica Nelms, three years; Capriesha Cummings, two and a years; and Camille Harper, one year.
According to court documents, the entered the names and results of fictitious businesses on Schedule C forms, which maximized clients’ ability to claim the Earned Income Credit and increase refunds. The preparers also entered false claims for fuel tax credits and education expenses.
