Glen Burnie Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Filing 29 False Tax Returns

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Christine Little, age 43, of Glen Burnie, Maryland today to a year and a day in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for aiding in the preparation of false tax returns.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

“IRS Criminal Investigation is determined to stop false tax refund schemes,” said Thomas Jankowski, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Washington D.C. Field Office.  “Ms. Little’s sentence sends the message that participation in refund fraud schemes does not pay and those who choose to engage in defrauding the government will be prosecuted.”

According to her plea agreement, Little identified herself as the CEO of TNT Taxes.  From February to June 2011, she recruited taxpayers to use her services, purporting to specialize in business and individual taxes and “amendments.” 

Little admitted that she prepared 29 false federal tax returns.  She placed information on the tax returns that did not reflect the information given by clients; falsely inflated withholdings and real estate taxes; and caused the returns to contain false personal property taxes, home mortgage interest and charitable deductions. 

In April 2011, an undercover federal agent requested that Little prepare his individual federal tax return.  The tax return prepared by Little did not accurately reflect the information the agent supplied to her.  Instead, the tax return included false deductions and inflated withholding amounts, resulting in a fraudulent refund claim of more than $11,000.

Little admits that the loss resulting from the false tax returns she filed exceeded $330,000.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the IRS – Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber, who prosecuted the case.