DOJ moves to shut down Broward County tax preparer

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is taking action to shut down a Broward County tax return preparer it has accused of preparing fraudulent tax returns.

The DOJ said it has filed a civil injunction suit to permanently bar Dexter Bataille and his tax return preparation business, Capital Financial Holdings LLC, from preparing federal income tax returns for others.

The United States also seeks an order demanding Mr Bataille disgorge his alleged ill-gotten gains, which he earned by preparing fraudulent tax returns.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleges that Bataille prepared hundreds of federal income tax returns from 2015 through 2023 that intentionally understated customers’ tax liabilities and overstated the refunds to which they were entitled.

The complaint describes the various schemes Bataille allegedly used to fraudulently increase customers’ claims for Earned Income Tax Credits and Additional Child Tax Credits by manipulating their taxable income by fabricating household help income, misreporting their filing statuses, or claiming false business income and losses.

Mr Bataille’s alleged systematic fraudulent manipulation of customers’ tax liabilities and refund claims has caused a significant loss in federal tax revenue, estimated to be over $1.5 million for tax year 2021 alone.

Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

Attorneys from the Tax Division are handling the case.

Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.