Tax Preparers in Mississippi Sentenced for False Returns
Mississippi Tax Pros Face Justice: Falsifying Returns Leads to Sentencing (PHOTO: Kahn Tax Law)
Tax Return Preparers in Mississippi Sentenced for Conspiracy to File False Returns
A group of people who help others with their taxes in Mississippi have been sent to prison. Adam Earnest, James Klish and John Wells got different prison times from 15 months to 100 months. They also have to be watched for three years after they leave prison and pay back the government for the money they took. Two other people Christopher Rendell and Jonathan Barefoot will be punished later.
These people were found guilty of working together to cheat the government by making up false tax returns at Sunbelt Tax Service in Jackson. Earnest Klish and Rendell were also found guilty of making the fake returns. Wells and Barefoot said they were guilty before the trial. The groups plan was to get more money back from the government by lying about education credits deductions and business money on their clients tax forms. They cheated the government out of more than $3.5 million.
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The IRS Criminal Investigation division looked into this tax fraud. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg from the Justice Departments Tax Division talked about the sentences. He said that this shows how serious the government is about catching people who cheat on taxes. This case is a reminder that trying to cheat the government with fake tax returns has big consequences.
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