The owners of a tax return-preparation business are going to federal prison for ripping off the federal government.
Federal prosecutors say Valencia Janee Mack, 40, and her former husband, Rodney Lamond Bowman, 47 both entered a plea of "guilty" last year to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States. They were both sentenced this month.
Prosecutors say the couple owned Phase US Tax Services in Duncanville. Between 2015 and 2019, prosecutors say they filed false returns for their clients by lying about losses in order to get larger refunds. Investigators say Mack and Bowman also took steps to keep their clients ignorant about their activities. The amount of fraud totaled more than $3.3 million dollars.
Mack also admitted to fraudulently filing her 2014 personal tax return, and to failing to file a personal tax return for 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Mack was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Bowman was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison.
"Return preparer fraud is like a contagious disease: It affects not only the preparer, but their own clients and the tax-paying public," said Christopher J. Altemus, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office." Ms. Mack and Mr. Bowman wreaked havoc on our nation’s tax system and, as a result, will serve jail time."
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