Denham Springs Woman, Katrular Buchana Bell, Sentenced For Preparing And Filing False Income Tax Returns

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that KATRULAR BUCHANA BELL, age 39, a resident of Denham Springs, and former tax preparer, was sentenced today for her role in preparing and electronically filing multiple false federal income tax returns.

U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced BELL to four (4) years probation.  In addition to probation, Judge Milazzo ordered BELL to pay $41,747 in restitution to the IRS.

According to court documents, BELL willfully aided and assisted in the preparation and electronic filing with the IRS of multiple false income tax returns.  BELL fraudulently manipulated the income amounts reported on the returns in order to obtain large refunds to which the filers were not entitled.  In 2010, BELL provided the false information in a tax return about an individual’s income during tax year 2009, in that it falsely stated that the taxpayer earned Schedule C income of $13,400.  This individual did not work as an employee during 2009, did not receive a Form W-2 reporting any wages that year, and did not provide a Form W-2 to defendant BELL at any time.  Nonetheless, on or about January 20, 2010, defendant BELL prepared a 2009 income tax return on the individual’s behalf to which she attached a false Schedule C and fraudulently claimed a refund of $4,915.  BELL collected a fee for the preparation of this return.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Irene Gonzalez is in charge of the prosecution.