Suppose you’re a tax preparer, and your new client owes quite a bit. Being the ever helpful kind of person that you are, you suggest to him that he add some additional business losses, charitable contributions and child care expenses, and maybe a dependent or two. Sounds familiar, no?
Well, if that client happens to be an undercover criminal investigator from the IRS, you will soon be a former tax preparer and you may soon be residing at ClubFed. Dewayne Preacely of Flossmoor, Illinois owned and operated Personal Tax. The business was successful, with three locations in Chicago Heights, Harvey, and Waukegan. The emphasis definitely needs to be on “was” because Mr. Preacely pleaded guilty last week in Chicago to tax fraud.
It’s not just Mr. Preacely who will be paying for this. There are 67 taxpayers who have been sent “Dear Valued Taxpayer” letters from the IRS and who will soon have to pay the additional tax, interest, and possible penalties.
But Mr. Preacely isn’t the only Bozo preparer from Illinois this week. Keith Edwards of Cahokia (near St. Louis) is boarding at ClubFed until his April trial. Mr. Edwards prepared tax returns and allegedly had the money wired into his own account. That in itself is bad, and the charge that he also used someone else’s social security number to file the returns makes matters worse. Plus he was apparently caught with ammunition. He was convicted of a felony count in 2002 so he’s also been charged with being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. It’s triple trouble for Mr. Edwards.
Tags: BozoTaxPreparer