(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)
 
 

Shreveport, Louisiana . . . A federal grand jury has returned a 106 count indictment charging FREDA ANN HOLMES EDMOND, a former employee of FAST TAX, INC., a Shreveport business that provides tax return preparation services, with assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, United States Attorney Donald W. Washington announced today.
 
FAST TAX, INC., located on Jewella Avenue in Shreveport, provides tax returns preparation services for its clients.  EDMOND, age 43, of Shreveport, was an employee of FAST TAX in the spring of 2000.  The indictment alleges that EDMOND assisted in the preparation of 106 individual federal income tax returns for calendar year 1999 which were false and fraudulent.  Specifically, the indictment alleges that the tax returns fraudulently inflated the taxpayer’s wages and withholding, and  fraudulently claimed deductions and credits to which the taxpayers were not entitled.  The fraudulent returns prepared by EDMOND claimed tax refunds of $494,391 in excess of the amount the taxpayers were entitled to receive.
 
After assisting in filing the false return, EDMOND would charge many of the taxpayers a “fee,” paid out of the tax refund, in excess of the usual charge assessed by FAST TAX.
 
U.S. Attorney Washington said:  “This case was brought to our attention by the owner of Fast Tax, Inc. who cooperated fully with federal authorities.”
 
If convicted, EDMOND faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on each count.  Sentencing in federal court is governed by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.  Parole has been abolished in the federal system.
 
This indictment is a result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie.
 
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
 
For further information, please contact United States Attorney Donald W. Washington at 337-262-6618 or First Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Flanagan at 318-676-3600.
 
This and other press releases issued by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana can be found at our website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/law.

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