MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The two Memphis men who owned Mo Money Taxes were sentenced to time behind bars after they were found guilty of trying to defraud the United States and filing false tax returns.
Jeremy Blanchard and Erik Pittman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of assisting in the preparation of a false tax returns.
They were sentenced to 70 and 33 months respectively for their role in the scheme.
After their release, they will be supervised for three years and be forced to pay $549,000 to the IRS.
According to court documents, the business has three locations in the Richmond, Virginia area.
The two filed false tax returners for their customers in 2011.
Both admitted to creating and inflating fraudulent tax credits to claim tax refunds totaling more than $250,000.
“Mr. Blanchard and Mr. Pittman inflated the deductions and credits claimed on their clients’ income tax returns to line their own pockets at the expense of the U.S. Treasury,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo. “Taxpayers seeking assistance with their returns should expect and are entitled to honest and accurate advice and representation. When preparers seek to abuse our nation’s tax system for their own personal gain, the department stands ready with its law enforcement partners to investigate, prosecute and hold the offenders accountable for their criminal conduct to the fullest extent of the law.”
Another co-defendant in the case, Corey Taylor, was sentenced to 20 months behind bars after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.
