Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID) announced the unsealing of a twenty-count Indictment against defendant Mary Ann Richard, of Ft. Pierce, Florida. The Indictment charges Richard with eighteen counts of assisting and advising in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent income tax returns to the IRS, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2), and with two counts of filing false personal income tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206 (1). Defendant Richard had her initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank J. Lynch, Jr. in Ft. Pierce, Florida. A pre-trial detention hearing has been scheduled for October 18, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.

According to the Indictment, from on or about January 2010 through in or about April 2010, defendant Richard was employed by JB&L Tax Service, Inc, a tax return preparation business located in Fort Pierce, Florida. From July 2010 through March 2011, defendant Richard owned and operated M2 Financial Services, a tax return preparation business located in Fort Pierce, Florida. At these businesses, defendant Richard met with taxpayers and prepared tax returns as either an employee of JB&L Tax Services, Inc., and as an owner and operator of M2 Financial Services.

The Indictment alleges that Richard assisted in the preparation and presentation to the IRS of income tax returns, knowing that these returns contained materially false information. Specifically, Richard filed false tax returns for others which included false information regarding wages, business losses, dependents, education credits and child care expenses. The Indictment also charges Richard with filing false personal tax returns (Forms 1040) for tax years 2009 and 2010 with the Internal Revenue Service for herself, which included false information regarding employer, wages, business expenses and personal deductions.

If convicted, Richard faces a maximum term of imprisonment of up to three years for each count of filing false individual tax returns. She also faces a maximum statutory term of imprisonment of three years as to each count of the willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent income tax returns.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. McMichael.

An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty

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A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.