Edward Whittington Press Release

June 27, 2002
For Immediate Release

INCOME TAX PREPARER PLEADS GUILTY TO FALSIFYING TAX RETURN DEDUCTIONS

St. Louis, Missouri: An income tax preparer pled guilty today to preparing false income tax returns by claiming false deductions for his clients, United States Attorney Ray Gruender announced today.

EDWARD WHITTINGTON, 54, of the 4500 block of McPherson, St. Louis City, pled guilty to one felony count of aiding in the preparation of false income tax returns. He appeared this afternoon before United States District Judge Donald J. Stohr.

Whittington faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and/or a fine of $100,000. Sentencing has been set for September 27, 2002.

According to court records, between April 1997 and April 2000, Whittington, in his capacity as a tax return preparer, claimed false deductions for several of his clients that they were not entitled to claim. The tax loss caused by this scheme was in excess of $120,000 and involved multiple clients.

Gruender praised the work on the case by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division and Assistant United States Attorney Donald G. Wilkerson, who is handling the case.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI RAYMOND W. GRUENDER United States Attorney	NEWS RELEASE
For further information: Call Public Affairs Officer Jan Diltz at (314) 539-7719
June 27, 2002 For Immediate Release INCOME TAX PREPARER PLEADS GUILTY TO FALSIFYING TAX RETURN DEDUCTIONS St. Louis, Missouri: An income tax preparer pled guilty today to preparing false income tax returns by claiming false deductions for his clients, United States Attorney Ray Gruender announced today. EDWARD WHITTINGTON, 54, of the 4500 block of McPherson, St. Louis City, pled guilty to one felony count of aiding in the preparation of false income tax returns. He appeared this afternoon before United States District Judge Donald J. Stohr. Whittington faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and/or a fine of $100,000. Sentencing has been set for September 27, 2002. According to court records, between April 1997 and April 2000, Whittington, in his capacity as a tax return preparer, claimed false deductions for several of his clients that they were not entitled to claim. The tax loss caused by this scheme was in excess of $120,000 and involved multiple clients. Gruender praised the work on the case by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division and Assistant United States Attorney Donald G. Wilkerson, who is handling the case.