Montgomery tax preparer gets 3-year sentence for filing for $1.6 million in fraudulent returns

An owner of a Montgomery tax preparation business will serve 36 months in prison for obtaining more than $1.6 million in fraudulent tax refunds, the Department of Justice said.

Nicole Coleman, 34, was sentenced on Wednesday after she pleaded guilty in to making false statements on federal income tax returns through her business Community Tax Associates, LLC. A joint investigation conducted by the IRS and the DOJ discovered that Coleman filed tax returns for herself and her clients using information that increased the refund amounts. Coleman took a portion of those refunds as a fee. Authorities said Coleman collected an estimated $1,654,781.03 in fraudulent refunds.

U.S. Attorney George Beck Jr. said he was glad Coleman was stopped.

"By filing these fraudulent tax returns, the defendant stole taxpayers' hard earned money," Beck said. "In doing so, she harmed her clients, who trusted her to prepare and file their income tax returns, as well as all citizens who honestly filed their income tax returns."

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