Orlando tax preparer accused of tax fraud scheme faces government action

FLORIDA — The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is attempting to shutter an Orlando tax return preparer, the DOJ has announced.

The DOJ said it has filed a civil injunction to permanently bar Julius T. Price, of Ocoee, and his tax return preparation business, Price’s Accounting Firm Inc., from preparing federal income tax returns for others.

Mr Price has been preparing tax returns since 2003, according to court documents. Price’s Accounting Firm is in Orlando.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleges that Price prepared thousands of federal income tax returns from 2018 through 2023 that understate his customers’ tax liabilities and overstate the refunds to which they were entitled through various schemes.

Mr Price is alleged to have knowingly made up businesses on returns he prepared to generate bogus losses, including fraudulent claims for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), claimed fictitious deductions and credits for tuition and fees, and fabricated itemized deductions for medical expenses, mortgage interest, and gifts to charity.

According to the complaint, Price’s fraudulently understating his customers’ tax liabilities and overstating their refunds has resulted in the loss of significant federal tax revenue, estimated to exceed $1.5 million.

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

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 taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.