A St. Mary Parish woman has been permanently barred from working as a tax preparer in Louisiana after pleading guilty to multiple fraud charges.
The Louisiana Department of Revenue says Dawanna Monay Monroe, of Patterson, was arrested in 2020 for a tax fraud scheme involving fabricated business losses for companies that did not exist.
According to a release, Monroe pled guilty to charges of filing false public records and illegal transmission of monetary funds. The Department then sued Monroe to prevent her from working as a tax preparer in the state.
A consent judgment bars Monroe from filing, assisting in, or directing the preparation of any Louisiana tax return but her own.
Monroe is the seventh person barred from working as a tax preparer in the state since Act 526 of the 2018 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. The Act gives the Department of Revenue authorization to file lawsuits against preparers who commit fraud.
Those suspecting a tax preparer is preparing fraudulent returns can contact LDR's Criminal Investigation Division Tax Fraud Hotline at 866-940-7053.
For more information, visit www.revenue.louisiana.gov/TaxFraud.
Tips for choosing a reputable preparer from LDR:
- Make sure the Louisiana Department of Revenue and/or the IRS have not prohibited them from preparing tax returns
- Ask a prospective tax preparer for professional references
- Conduct a background check with the Better Business Bureau, the state licensing board for CPAs, or the state bar association for attorneys
- Find out if the preparer belongs to a professional organization that requires continuing education and holds its members accountable to a code of ethics
- Select a preparer you are confident will be available to answer questions after your return is filed
- Avoid preparers who base their fees on a percentage of the amount of your refund
- Review your return and ask questions about anything you don’t understand before signing it
- NEVER SIGN A BLANK TAX RETURN
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
