This week, it was announced that a Starkville, Mississippi tax return preparer had pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return. Documents and information provided to the court showed that Jameka Coffey managed ABS Tax Service, which was a tax preparation business located in Starkville. The defendant managed the business from early 2012 through April 2016.
Coffey was accused of falsifying taxpayer client returns by claiming false education credits and reporting fake businesses in hopes of acquiring refunds to which her clients were not entitled. The defendant admitted to training other preparers to file fraudulent returns as well. A sentencing date for Coffey has not yet been set. At sentencing, she will face a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison.
Further details have been made available here.