November 28th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

Federal prosecutors say a Maryland tax preparer was indicted on fraud charges after she used false or inflated itemized deductions and other means to increase her clients’ refunds. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Maryland also said in a news release Monday that 56-year-old Anita Fortune used other co-conspirators’ identifying information to file tax returns after the IRS revoked her e-file privileges. Prosecutors say Fortune was indicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and thirty-nine counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. The conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and each false return count carries a maximum penalty of three years.

Prosecutors say the fraud occurred during the tax years of 2012 through 2018 at her Temple Hills-based business. Prosecutors say she used multiple business names including Tax Terminatorz Inc.