MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The owner of a Memphis tax preparation business was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday.
Selma Brinson, 64, is accused of preparing false tax returns to generate inflated tax refunds for clients, and tampering with witnesses in the government’s investigation between at least 2018 and 2024.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said Brinson allegedly reported false fuel tax credits and false claims for residential energy credits on client returns, among other false items. She received hundreds of thousands of dollars from clients.
After Brinson’s tax preparation business was expelled from the IRS electronic filing program, she allegedly had a family member apply for a new electronic filing number and continued processing tax returns, Dunavant said.
Brinson allegedly encouraged at least two of her clients to tell investigators they did not recall their interactions with her after she learned she was the target of a federal investigation, Dunavant said.
Brinson is charged with 24 counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns and two counts of witness tampering.
If convicted, she faces maximum penalties of three years in prison for each count of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and 20 years for each count of witness tampering.
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