federal court

Federal Court Bars Newark, N.J., Man from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

A federal court in New Jersey has permanently barred Luvander Hollaway from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Two Louisiana Tax Preparers

A federal court in the Middle District of Louisiana has permanently barred Cynthia Peters and Melissa Edwards from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Federal Court Bars Oregon Man from Promoting Tax-Fraud Schemes

A federal court has permanently barred Robert Pendell from promoting any scheme that assists or advises customers to attempt to violate the tax laws.



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Federal Court Orders Iowa Construction Company to Pay Employment Taxes

A federal court has ordered Advanced Underground Construction LLC and William David Ward II to begin paying employment taxes to the United States on a timely basis.



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Federal Court Shuts Down Tax Return Preparer Siblings in Southern California

A federal court has permanently barred Karen Berry, Carla Berry and their tax preparation business, N.C.K. Services Inc., from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Federal Court Bars Eastern Pennsylvania Woman from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court in Philadelphia has permanently barred Dorthea Alexander from preparing federal tax returns for others



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Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Shut Down South Florida Tax Preparer

The United States has sued Kenia Marrero seeking to bar her and her business, Kenia Immigration Services, from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Federal Courts Order Seizure of 150 Website Domains Involved in Selling Counterfeit Goods as Part of DOJ, ICE HSI and FBI Cyber Monday Crackdown

“Through this operation we are aggressively targeting those who are selling counterfeit goods for their own personal gain while costing our economy much-needed revenue and jobs,” said Attorney General Eric Holder.



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Federal Court Bars Operator of New Jersey Tax Firm from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

A federal court has permanently barred Carmen Gonzalez from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Federal Court Bars Alabama Woman from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court in Mobile, Ala., has permanently barred Delois Warren from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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California Federal Court Blocks Bogus Tax Credit Scheme

A federal court in Los Angeles has permanently barred Lamar Ellis of Brea, Calif., from promoting a scheme involving sales of bogus federal tax credits.



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Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Shut Down Louisiana Tax Preparer

The United States has sued Larry Carnell Dixon Sr., seeking to bar him and his business, Dixon’s Tax Service, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.



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Federal Court Shuts Down Alabama Tax Preparer

A federal court has permanently barred Lakeisha Pearson from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.



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Federal Court Bars Nevada Man from Promoting Tax Fraud Scheme

A federal court has permanently barred David Champion from promoting a tax fraud scheme designed to assist his customers evade federal taxes, the Justice Department announced today.



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Federal Court Orders Iowa Man and Eight Companies to Pay Employment Taxes

A federal court has ordered James Watts and eight corporations to begin paying employment taxes to the United States on a timely basis, the Justice Department announced today.



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Federal Court Bars California Woman from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

A federal court has permanently barred Maria Teresita Viray from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.



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Federal Court in Illinois Shuts Down Nationwide “Employee Benefit Plan” Tax Scheme

A federal court has permanently barred Tracy L. Sunderlage, Linda Sunderlage and four companies from operating an alleged scheme to help high-income individuals attempt to avoid income taxes by funneling money through purported employee benefit plans, the Justice Department announced today.



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$25 Billion Mortgage Servicing Agreement Filed in Federal Court

The Justice Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and 49 state attorneys general announced today the filing of their landmark $25 billion agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers to address mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure abuses.



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Federal Court Sets $128 Million Aggregate Back Pay Damages in Employment Discrimination Lawsuit Against the City of New York’s Fire Department

A federal court announced last week that it had determined the aggregate amount of back pay damages owed to African-American and Hispanic applicants who were discriminated against by the city of New York in the hiring of entry-level firefighters for the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).



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Federal Court Bars Former Owner of Brooklyn Tax Firm from Operating Tax Preparation Businesses

A federal court has permanently barred Annie P. Williams, the former proprietor of PPH Tax & Realty Inc. in Brooklyn, N.Y., from preparing federal tax returns for others and from having any ownership or financial interest in any tax preparation business, the Justice Department announced today.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars San Diego Accountant from Preparing Tax Returns That Understate Income

A federal court has permanently barred Robert Jensen, a certified public accountant from San Diego, from providing tax advice or preparing federal tax returns that illegally attempt to reduce customers’ taxable income, the Justice Department announced today.



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Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Bar Indiana Firm from Preparing Tax Returns

The United States has asked a federal court to bar a tax preparation firm and its owner, John Newlin, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.



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D.C. Federal Court Acts to Halt Alleged “Sham Cemetery” Tax Scheme

A federal court has permanently barred Michael Strauss from promoting tax shelters, the Justice Department announced today. The government complaint in the case alleged that Strauss, of Herndon, Va., his son Patrick Strauss, of Washington D.C., and Joseph Barreiro of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., promoted and sold several fraudulent tax schemes, including sham cemetery investments. The men allegedly promoted the cemetery schemes to customers located in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., using shell companies that they controlled.



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Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Shut Down Three Philadelphia-area Tax Preparers

The United States has asked a federal court to bar three Philadelphia-area tax preparers from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. According to the government complaint in the civil injunction suit, defendants Deron Joe, Edmund Dassin and James Tokpawhiea are Liberian nationals who are legal permanent residents of the United States. The suit alleges that most of the customers of their business, Urban Tax Professionals, are also from Liberia and were referred to the defendants by family or friends.



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Federal Court Bars Two Louisiana Women from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court in New Orleans has permanently barred Cathy and Lashanda Vinnett from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which the Vinnetts agreed without admitting the government’s allegations, was signed by Judge Helen G. Berrigan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.



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Federal Courts Order Seizure of 36 Website Domains Involved in Selling Stolen Credit Card Numbers

The seizures are the result of Operation Wreaking hAVoC, an FBI and Justice Department operation targeting the sale of stolen credit card numbers via the Internet.



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Federal Court Shuts Down Texas Tax Return Preparer

A federal court in Dallas has permanently barred Joseph Rivas of DeSoto, Texas, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Rivas consented without admitting the allegations against him, was signed by Judge Sidney Fitzwater of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.



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Federal Court Shuts Down South Florida Tax Return Preparer

A federal court in Miami has permanently barred Kenia Marrero of Miami, and her company, Kenia Immigration Services, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Marrero consented without admitting the allegations against her, was signed by Judge José E. Martinez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.



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Antiques Dealer Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Crimes Relating to Illegal Trafficking of Endangered Rhinoceros Horns

David Hausman, an antiques dealer in Manhattan, pleaded guilty today in Manhattan federal court to obstruction of justice and creating false records, in relation to illegal rhinoceros horn trafficking.



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Federal Court Shuts Down Florida Tax Return Preparers

A federal court in Miami has permanently barred Sharon Angulo and Claudia Zuloaga, both of Miami, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The injunction order was signed by Judge Joan A. Lenard of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.



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New York Federal Court Bars Woman from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court in Central Islip, N.Y., has permanently barred Diana D. Bertocci-Aliffi from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Aliffi agreed without admitting the government’s allegations, was signed by Judge Joanna Seybert of the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New York.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Detroit Husband and Wife from Promoting Alleged Tax-fraud Scheme and from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

A federal court has permanently barred a Michigan couple, Damian and Holly Jackson, of Detroit, from preparing federal tax returns for others, preparing their own federal tax returns using false 1099 forms, and promoting an alleged tax-fraud scheme based on the frivolous “redemption” theory, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which the Jacksons consented without admitting the allegations against them, was signed by Judge Paul D. Borman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.



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Federal Court in Kansas City, Kansas, Shuts Down Tax-return Preparer

A federal court in Kansas City, Kan., has permanently barred Ahferom Goitom from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Goitom consented without admitting the allegations against him, was signed by Judge John W. Lungstrum of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. The case is one of five similar lawsuits (the others were filed in Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Chicago; and Dayton, Ohio) to shut down four of the largest Instant Tax Service franchise owners, as well as the Dayton-based corporate franchisor of the Instant Tax Service brand—ITS Financial LLC.



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Federal Courts Order Seizure of Three Website Domains Involved in Distributing Pirated Android Cell Phone Apps

The department said that this is the first time website domains involving cell phone app marketplaces have been seized.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars California Lawyer from Tax Preparation and Giving Tax Advice

A federal court in San Diego has permanently barred a tax lawyer and his law firm from providing tax advice and from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order against Scott A. Waage, of San Diego, was signed by Judge William Q. Hayes of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Waage agreed to the injunction without admitting the allegations against him.



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Federal Court Bars Three Pennsylvania Men from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court in Philadelphia has permanently barred Deron O. Joe of Darby, Pa.; Edmund G. Dassin of Lansdowne, Pa.; and James M. Tokpawhiea of Philadelphia from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The three men consented to the civil injunction order without admitting the allegations against them. Judge Paul S. Diamond of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania signed the injunction.



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Federal Court in New York Enters Consent Decree Between United States and Fan Club Website Company

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered a consent decree between the United States and a company that operates fan club websites for popular recording artists such as Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, the Justice Department announced today. The government’s complaint, filed in connection with the decree, charges the company with violating both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule. The company has agreed to pay a $1 million penalty to settle these charges.



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Man Pleads Guilty in Ohio Federal Court to Tax and Mortgage Fraud Conspiracies

Steven R. Hinz pleaded guilty today to tax fraud and mortgage fraud charges in Cleveland federal court, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Hinz’s guilty pleas followed recent guilty pleas of three other defendants – Heather L. English, Patricia A. Polk and William E. Phillips III – who were charged in indictment in December 2011 on a tax conspiracy and various false return charges. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan, who scheduled the sentencing for January 2013.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Mississippi Woman from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court has permanently barred Cynthia Carter, a Columbus, Miss., tax return preparer, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Carter consented without admitting the allegations against her, was signed by Judge Sharion Aycock of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.



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Federal Court in Ohio Issues Preliminary Injunction Against Instant Tax Service Franchiser and Its CEO

A federal court has preliminarily enjoined ITS Financial LLC, the parent company that owns the Instant Tax Service tax-preparation franchise operation, the Justice Department announced today. Dayton, Ohio-based ITS claims to be the fourth-largest tax-preparation firm in the nation, according to the government complaint in the civil lawsuit. Judge Timothy Black of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio signed the order, which also applies to the company’s CEO, Fesum Ogbazion. The defendants consented to the preliminary injunction.



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Federal Court Shuts Down South Florida Tax Preparer

A federal court in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has permanently barred a Broward County man from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Jayvon Copeland, who last month pleaded guilty in a criminal case to conspiracy to defraud the United States, consented to the injunction order without admitting the allegations in the civil complaint filed against him last April.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Michigan Lawyer from Promoting Alleged Tax Fraud Scheme

A federal court has permanently barred a Michigan lawyer, Tammy Daniels of Farmington Hills, from promoting an alleged tax fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Daniels consented without admitting the allegations against her, was signed by Judge Paul D. Borman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. In August the court enjoined Daniels’s co-defendants, Damian and Holly Jackson, from preparing federal tax returns for others and promoting the scheme.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Baton Rouge Tax Service from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court has permanently barred Larry Carnell Dixon Sr., a Louisiana tax return preparer, and his business, Dixon’s Tax Service, LLC from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Dixon and Dixon’s Tax Service LLC, consented without admitting the allegations against them, was signed by Judge James Brady of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.



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Federal Court Bars Alleged Co-Owner of Las Vegas Instant Tax Service Franchise from Preparing Tax Returns

A Nevada federal court has permanently barred Benyam Tewolde from preparing tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Tewolde and his wife, Yordanos Kidanits, are the alleged co-owners of an Instant Tax Service franchise that operates at multiple locations in the Las Vegas area. Instant Tax Service is a nationally franchised tax preparation company based in Dayton, Ohio.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars San Antonio Tax Preparers from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court has permanently barred Pete Escalante Gutierrez and Jeanette Gutierrez from preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Federal Court Permanently Bars Virginia Company’s Promotion of Tool Reimbursement and Tool Rental Schemes

The Justice Department announced today that a federal court has permanently barred Cash Management Systems, a Virginia corporation, from promoting two tax schemes that allegedly involve disguising wages as tool-reimbursement or tool-rental payments.



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Federal Court Preliminarily Bars Indianapolis Instant Tax Service Franchisee from Preparing Federal Tax Returns

A federal court in Indianapolis has barred David Ray Franklin and his company, Instant Refund Tax Service (IRTS) – which does business as Instant Tax Service—from preparing tax returns and from operating a tax-preparation business.



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Federal Court Bars Kansas Instant Tax Service Franchisee from Operating and Preparing Tax Returns, Orders Payment of $100,000 in Penalties

A Kansas City, Kan., federal court permanently barred an Instant Tax Service franchisee, A&S Tax Services LLC, from further operating or preparing federal tax returns for others.



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Ohio Federal Court Bars Appraiser of Historic-Preservation Easements

A federal court in Cleveland has barred MAI-designated real estate appraiser Michael Ehrmann and his firm, Jefferson & Lee Appraisals Inc., from preparing property appraisals for federal tax purposes.



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Federal Court Enjoins Former Los Angeles Instant Tax Service Franchisee

A federal court in Los Angeles permanently barred a Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., married couple – Henock Teferi and Ruth Berhane – and their company, Plover Financial Services LLC, from engaging in certain abusive tax-preparation practices.



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