Skip to main content
Press Release

Louisiana Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Income Tax Returns and Identity Theft

For Immediate Release
Office of Public Affairs

A Robert, Louisiana, woman was sentenced today to serve 87 months in prison for filing false tax returns, corruptly endeavoring to obstruct or impede the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and aggravated identity theft, announced the Justice Department and IRS. 

Hazel M. McGary, 46, aka Hazel M. Alexander and Hazel M. Kimble, was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release following her prison term and to pay $148,673 in restitution to the IRS. 

According to court documents, from 2008 through November 2013, McGary owned and operated a series of tax preparation businesses under different names, including Just for You Services, Just For Taxes and H&H Unlimited Services, in Hammond, Albany, Baton Rouge and Covington, Louisiana.  In 2012, McGary’s tax preparation location in Albany operated as a business where clients were permitted to drive their cars to a drive-through window in order to have their tax returns prepared. 

As part of her plea agreement, McGary admitted that she prepared and filed false returns that claimed artificially high tax refunds, primarily by abusing the Earned Income Tax Credit.  Court documents further show that McGary obtained electronic filing numbers from the IRS using the names and social security numbers of other individuals in an effort to hide her fraudulent activity.  McGary falsely listed these other individuals’ names and identification numbers on the returns she filed but did not identify herself as the preparer.  McGary further filed at least one false return in her own name on which she failed to include tax preparation fees she received as income.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Larry J. Wszalek for the Justice Department’s Tax Division would like to thank IRS-Criminal Investigation, in partnership with the Louisiana State Police, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Hayden Brockett and Kevin Lombardi of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.

Updated October 23, 2014

Component
Press Release Number: 14-1171