Charlotte, North Carolina: Resident Mehef Bey, a.k.a. Arthur Daniels, has pleaded guilty to
conspiring to defraud the U.S. by promoting a nationwide tax fraud and assisting in the preparation and filing of false returns for the participants. Mr. Bey led taxpayers to believe that they were entitled to refunds by convincing them that their mortgages and other debts entitled them to refunds.Bey, and his fellow conspirators, held seminars across the country to publicize the scheme from 2014 to 2016. They helped prepare and file returns for the participants, which collectively sought more than $64 million in federal refunds from the IRS. These tax returns falsely claimed that banks and other financial institutions had withheld income tax from the participants, entitling the clients to a refund. He admitted he and his conspirators charged their clients $10,000 to $15,000 in prep fees for each tax return. They then concealed their role in the scheme by, among other things, indicating that the false tax returns had been “self-prepared” and coaching participants how to conceal the scheme from the IRS.
The good news is the IRS brought fraud only against Bey and his coconspirators. The bad news is that all those they talked into filing these fraudulent returns so they could receive refunds will end up with a big bill from the IRS for the taxes fraudulently refunded PLUS interest and penalties.
One sure sign you should run from someone claiming to be a tax professional is that they don’t sign both your copy and the IRS copy of the tax return they prepare for you. The law requires them to not only sign their return but also to include their address and tax ID or PTIN (Preparer Tax Identification Number) on every return.
Need a REAL tax professional? Call our office and schedule an appointment today. We’re here year round and are always ready to assist you.