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Press Release

Tax Preparer Admits Preparing False Tax Returns

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Connecticut

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that SHALANDA JENKINS, 32, of New Britain, waived her right to indictment and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport to aiding and assisting in the filing of false federal income tax returns.

According to court documents and statements made in court, JENKINS worked as a tax return preparer at Tax Express, which has locations in New Haven and West Haven.  While working at Tax Express, JENKINS assisted in the preparation of 31 false federal individual income tax returns for her clients, but without the clients’ knowledge of the returns’ false items.  Specifically, JENKINS created false education credits, false child and dependent care credits, and various other false items in order to create additional refunds for her clients.  The 31 fraudulent returns generated large refunds for JENKINS’ clients and caused a tax loss of $131,670 to the government.

JENKINS is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill on April 1, 2014, at which time she faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years and a fine of up to $100,000.

JENKINS’ clients are required to resolve their own tax liability with the Internal Revenue Service.

This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov

Updated March 18, 2015