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Feds Seek To Shut Down Florida Tax Preparers Allegedly Costing Taxpayers Millions

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Feds Seek To Shut Down Florida Tax Preparers Allegedly Costing Taxpayers Millions


The U.S. Division of Justice has filed a grievance searching for to bar 9 Florida tax return preparers and their related enterprise from helping in making ready federal revenue tax returns for others.

Background

In line with the grievance, Richard Louis—typically often called the “Taxman,” Teddy Davis, James Merrill, Daniel Ouku, Demetrius Knowles, Harold Bornelus, Joseph Garrett, Marlyne Wah, and Romeo Davis ready and filed hundreds of federal revenue tax returns for patrons via or in reference to an unincorporated enterprise known as Taxman.

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Particularly, the court docket paperwork state that Louis is a paid tax return preparer who operates a tax return preparation enterprise, Tax Man Monetary or Tax Man, Inc., in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His codefendants are alleged to have labored with him to arrange tax returns. Louis and his codefendants usually cost between $90 and $250 per return, relying on complexity.

Allegations

Prosecutors declare that Louis and his codefendants understated the tax their clients owed and overstated the refunds to which they have been entitled via varied schemes.

One scheme utilized by the defendants was to assert fraudulent Residential Power Credit on their clients’ tax returns. In line with the grievance, Louis and his codefendants made up purchases for qualifying photo voltaic tools and, generally, didn’t talk about the Resident Power Credit score with the shoppers. Whereas the typical fee of Florida taxpayers claiming the credit score was 2.13%, Louis and his codefendants reported a lot greater charges, starting from 28.74% to a whopping 78.26%.

Louis and Taxman additionally allegedly falsified and overstated enterprise and itemized deductions on their clients’ tax returns, together with submitting Schedules C (enterprise schedules) for patrons they know don’t personal or function a enterprise. Some clients didn’t know that Louis and his codefendants have been submitting returns displaying enterprise losses.

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Returns have been additionally ready for patrons that didn’t appropriately mirror Schedule A deductions, together with charitable deductions. In a single occasion, the grievance alleges {that a} buyer reported donations of $200-300 to church—however Louis reported $8,903 in charitable deductions. In one other instance, a buyer stated she had $1,500 in medical bills, however Louis reported $12,982. The identical sorts of misreporting have been made with respect to actual property taxes and mortgages—on one event, Louis is claimed to have included mortgage curiosity twice.

Louis and his codefendants are additionally alleged to have ready tax returns for patrons claiming the inaccurate submitting standing through the use of the pinnacle of family standing or single submitting standing for married {couples} who ought to have filed as married.

Damages

The IRS estimates that america has misplaced thousands and thousands of {dollars} in tax income as a result of defendants’ actions. The grievance states that if the defendants proceed to behave as tax return preparers, “their conduct will end in irreparable hurt to america.”

A everlasting injunction, the feds argue, is the suitable answer. They’ve additionally requested for, amongst different issues, an inventory of buyer names, Social Safety numbers, and phone info.

Many taxpayers who sought help from the defendants have already needed to amend their tax returns.

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Be Cautious

Keep in mind—it’s your signature on the road. The DOJ reminds you to watch out when selecting a tax preparer. You’ll find a searchable listing of preparers in your space who presently maintain skilled credentials acknowledged by the IRS or an Annual Submitting Season Program File of Completion on the IRS web site.

An alphabetical itemizing of those that have been enjoined from making ready returns and selling tax schemes will be discovered on this web page. If you happen to imagine that a type of individuals or companies could also be violating an injunction, contact the DOJ Tax Division with particulars.



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Florida

Low temperatures forecast for Central Florida on Monday

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Low temperatures forecast for Central Florida on Monday


A week of low temperatures and rounds of rain are expected in Central Florida starting on Monday, Spectrum News 13 Chief Meteorologist Bryan Karrick said. Temperatures are expected to be well below average, with some snow expected in the panhandle, Karrick said. Periods of rain will also develop late tonight. The high today will be 57 degrees and the low will be 42 degrees. ©2025 Orlando …



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Florida sheriff encourages illegal aliens to self-deport ahead of Trump inauguration: 'Southbound and down'

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Florida sheriff encourages illegal aliens to self-deport ahead of Trump inauguration: 'Southbound and down'


A Florida sheriff is combating illegal immigration by sharing a bold statement with those who are in the state illegally ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration.

“And I leave with this message: ‘Southbound and down.’ Do it yourself. You can self-deport and avoid a lot of prison sentence, but it’s time. Southbound and down,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference on Wednesday. 

Grady was joined by Gov. Ron DeSantis and several other local and state officials during the press conference held Winter Haven to discuss actions to combat illegal immigration.

Judd said a crackdown on illegal immigration would help reduce crime.

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FLORIDA PROPOSAL WOULD BAR ILLEGAL MIGRANTS IN THE US FROM ATTENDING SOME COLLEGES

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)

“Florida needs to set the example for the other states and support the president [Trump] to get rid of these criminals who are victimizing our people,” Judd said. 

During the press conference, Judd also shared several specific examples of crimes involving illegal immigrants, including cases of murder, DUI manslaughter and organized theft rings.

DeSantis echoed Judd and said he was confident that the second Trump administration would take swift action against the outgoing Biden administration’s immigration policy.

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FLORIDA SHERIFF TO CONGRESS AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NABBED IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROBE: ‘SHAME ON ALL OF THEM’

Split image of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and immigration supporter

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to help President-elect Trump crack down on illegal immigration. (Getty Images)

“We in Florida have a sense of urgency to accomplish this mission,” DeSantis said. “The mission is very simple: We need to end the illegal immigration crisis once and for all in these United States of America.”

Florida sued the Biden administration on several different occasions, including over its “illegal” catch-and-release policies at the southern border and, most recently, its alleged refusal to help the state purge noncitizens from voter rolls in the 2024 election. 

FLORIDA HUMAN TRAFFICKING STING NABS 157 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 25 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis shake hands

Then-President Trump greets Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis during a campaign rally on Oct. 31, 2018, in Estero, Fla. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

DeSantis scheduled a special session to begin the week after Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration to fund efforts to address illegal immigration, including detention and relocation. The governor has said the state must work to support Trump’s promises to tackle illegal immigration and ensure that “we don’t have any lingering incentives for people to come into our state illegally.”

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In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump thanked DeSantis for calling a special session, saying “hopefully other Governors will follow!”

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price is writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com

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LSU women win big over Florida, setting up likely top-five clash with South Carolina

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LSU women win big over Florida, setting up likely top-five clash with South Carolina


The LSU women’s basketball team will be undefeated when it meets No. 2 South Carolina.

On Sunday, the 80-63 road win that the No. 5 Tigers (20-0, 5-0) picked up o over Florida assured them of that fact.

Mikaylah Williams, Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow teamed up to build a 17-0 fourth-quarter run that propelled LSU to its lopsided win. Johnson kicked off the scoring spree by hitting an open jumper, and Morrow punctuated it by converting an easy layup. In the time between, the Tigers shot 5 of 6 from the field, while forcing Florida to miss its first six shots of the quarter.

“Listen, when you can empty (the bench) and play everybody on your team with five minutes to go in the game and you’re up 28,” coach Kim Mulkey said, “knowing what we face next, that’s a good day.”

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LSU played two tight Southeastern Conference games before they traveled to Gainesville, Florida, to face the Gators (11-9, 2-4). A last-second shot lifted the Tigers to a two-point road win over No. 15 Tennessee on Jan. 9, then a late surge of offense propelled them to a six-point home victory over Vanderbilt on Monday.

On Sunday, LSU won by a more comfortable margin.

And this time, its defense keyed the win.

Florida converted just 9 of the 28 field goals it attempted across the second and third quarters, a stretch of play that LSU won 44-27. The Tigers forced the Gators into 24 turnovers, and converted them into 35 points. Overall, Florida shot just 38% from the field, becoming the second SEC team this season to hit less than 40% of its shots against LSU.

In the third quarter, the Tigers played most of their offense through Williams, the star sophomore who finished with 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting and eight rebounds. Morrow chipped in 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 10 rebounds, and Johnson added 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting, but the LSU bench notched only 11 points, finishing with fewer than 12 for the second game in a row.

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Freshman guard Liv McGill led Florida with 21 points and six assists. Freshman Me’Arah O’Neal, the daughter of LSU great Shaquille O’Neal, grabbed seven rebounds in 15 minutes.

“One thing that we did do good, and we’ve improved today was turnovers,” Mulkey said. “We only had nine for the entire game and for a while, there it was only six, so that’s a big part of why you extended the lead like we did. You’re getting yourself a shot every time.”

LSU started the game with a quick 7-0 run. But then Florida called a timeout, started to dribble penetrate, hit shots and slow down the Tigers’ halfcourt offense with a zone defense. In the first half, LSU trailed by as many as six points and entered halftime with just a 37-33 lead.

Then the Tigers played sharper defense that was a building block that ignited their transition offense, fueled their dominant second half and added another victory atop their now 20-game win streak — already the second-best start in program history. LSU attempted 14 more field goals than Florida, while also scoring 40 points in the paint and 26 on the fast break.

Mulkey has now led her team to at least 20 wins in each of her 25 seasons as a head coach.

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Meanwhile, Morrow posted her 92nd career double-double, tying her with former Oregon forward Jillian Alleyne for the second-most in NCAA Division I history. LSU’s win over Florida was the 123rd game of her career.

Next, the Tigers will hit the road to play the most-anticipated game of their regular season.

That matchup, a likely top-five showdown with No. 2 South Carolina, will tip off at 7 p.m. Thursday on ESPN.

Ohio State lost 62-59 to Penn State on Sunday, which means that LSU and No. 1 UCLA are the last two undefeated Division I teams left. The Bruins are one of only two squads that have defeated the Gamecocks over the past three seasons.

LSU is 0-4 against South Carolina under Mulkey.

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“We’re gonna enjoy this victory today,” Mulkey said. “Any victory on the road in our league is an accomplishment, but we know what we face next, a tremendous challenge to play the defending champions and do it at their place.”



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