COURT ORDERS LOUISIANA TAX-RETURN PREPARER BE BARRED
FROM INFLATING DEDUCTIONS FOR CUSTOMERS

WASHINGTON, D.C.- A federal court in Alexandria, Louisiana has ordered Darlene Gilbert, a tax-return preparer in Olla, Louisiana, to stop preparing returns that inflate the amounts of her customers' business or employee-expense deductions, the Justice Department announced today. The court directed Gilbert to give the Justice Department the names, street and e-mail addresses, as well as phone numbers and social security or tax identification numbers of all customers for whom she has prepared any federal tax return or claim for refund containing excessive deductions.

The order applies to returns Gilbert prepared as far back as January 1, 2000. It also requires Gilbert to contact the persons for whom she prepared those returns and inform them of this judgment, and that the IRS might seek to collect additional taxes, interest, and penalties from them.

According to the complaint filed by the Justice Department, Gilbert prepared income tax returns for mariners and overstated their allowable deductions. Without admitting the Justice Department allegations, Gilbert agreed to be enjoined from preparing false or fraudulent federal income tax returns.

“The Department of Justice is working methodically to halt the preparation and filing of fraudulent income tax returns,” said Eileen J. O'Connor, Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division.

Information on other recent injunctions entered and suits filed can be found at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/taxpress2004.htm. Information on the Justice Department's Tax Division can be found at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/index.html.