Father, daughter tax preparers admit income tax filing fraud

AUGUSTA, GA:  An Augusta man and his daughter await sentencing after admitting they filed fraudulently inflated tax returns on behalf of shoppers.

Ezra Hatcher Sr., 68, and Sherry Hatcher, 42, each of Augusta, pled responsible in U.S. District Court docket prematurely of a trial scheduled for U.S. District Court docket, stated David H. Estes, U.S. Lawyer for the Southern District of Georgia. Ezra Hatcher pled responsible to Conspiracy to Defraud the US, whereas Sherry Hatcher pled responsible to Aiding and Aiding within the Submitting of a False Tax Return.

“When residents search skilled help in navigating our nation’s often-complex tax system, skilled preparers present substantial assist in finishing these needed duties,” stated U.S. Lawyer Estes. “We and our legislation enforcement companions is not going to tolerate the unlawful acts of preparers who violate their fiduciary responsibility as a way to complement themselves.”

As described in court docket paperwork and testimony, the IRS performed an investigation of tax preparation companies operated by Ezra Hatcher and Sherry Hatcher. The investigation decided that from 2014 to 2018, the 2 companies filed 21 tax returns on behalf of seven people, realizing the returns contained false and fraudulent info regarding Schedule C bills, revenue, and earned revenue credit. Altogether, the returns precipitated the IRS to concern extra refunds amounting to almost $75,000.

The responsible plea topics Ezra Hatcher to a doable statutory penalty of as much as 5 years in jail, and he agrees to pay restitution of $69,682. Sherry Hatcher’s responsible plea topics her to a doable statutory penalty of as much as three years in jail, and she or he agrees to pay restitution of $4,141. As well as, every defendant is completely prohibited from making ready or submitting federal tax returns for anybody apart from themselves.

The case was investigated by IRS-Felony Investigations, and prosecuted for the US by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr. and Jennifer A Stanley.