Louisiana Woman Sentenced to Prison in False Tax Return Scheme

A Louisiana woman was sentenced yesterday to 40 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States.

According to court documents, Carlanda Isaac, of New Orleans, worked for Pelican Income Tax and Bookkeeping Services LLC, and later for Taxes by J.A.D.A., another tax preparation business. Isaac, together with others, sought inflated tax refunds for clients by claiming on their returns false income, withholding and education credits. Isaac charged her clients a fee for preparing false tax returns.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry ordered Isaac to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $283,378 in restitution to the United States.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Jessica Kraft of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.