Crime

Northeast Ohio income tax preparer charged with filing false returns

By Staff Report
A northeast Ohio tax preparer was charged for allegedly filing false federal returns using fraudulent Schedule C forms and schemes to avoid client tax liabilities.
A northeast Ohio tax preparer was charged for allegedly filing false federal returns using fraudulent Schedule C forms and schemes to avoid client tax liabilities. Archivo del Miami Herald

A 46-year-old woman has been arrested for her role in preparing and filing false federal income tax returns on behalf of her clients.

Sherita Booker, of Cleveland, was charged by criminal complaint on April 9 for Aiding or Assisting in the Preparation of False and Fraudulent Federal Income Tax Returns.

According to court documents, she learned to prepare returns while working at a national tax return preparation company from about June 2016 to April 2017. Thereafter, she started her own tax return preparation business under different entity names, as well as her own name.

During the investigation, agents discovered that when Booker prepared tax returns for clients, she allegedly attached fraudulent Schedule C documents (used to indicate business profit and losses) to clients’ Form 1040—even though the clients did not own businesses. Booker also employed other schemes to avoid tax due and owing to the IRS by her clients.

If convicted, Booker faces up to three years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Services-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

Assistant United States Attorneys Brenna L. Fasko and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio are leading the prosecution.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.