Bolingbrook Tax Preparer Barred For Filing False Returns

A federal court has permanently barred a Bolingbrook resident from preparing federal tax returns for others. The Justice Department, in a federal court filing, said Jackelin Brooks is no longer allowed to be a tax preparer after she was caught preparing returns that reported false income and expenses from Schedule C businesses, as well as improperly claimed the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Residential Energy Credit. Both of these resulted in refunds that her customers were not entitled to. Along with these allegations, she also was accused of falsifying tax returns that cost the United States tens of thousands of dollars in tax revenue. The injunction against Brooks was entered by default because she couldnt’ defend against the allegations brought forth by the government.

Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s “Dirty Dozen” tax scams from this year. Brooks can no longer prepare or assist in the preparing of federal tax returns for anyone other than herself, counsel anyone filing a tax return, or own or manage a business specializing in federal tax returns.