Source: United States Attorneys General
Headline: Saint Bernard Resident Pleads Guilty to
United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that EMELDA MATTHEWS (“MATTHEWS”), age 36, of Violet, Louisiana, pleaded guilty yesterday to Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation of False Tax Returns.
According to documents filed in federal court, MATTHEWS operated a small tax preparer business from her home in Violet, Louisiana. And from 2013 through 2015, MATTHEWS, aided and assisted numerous federal income tax filers in preparing and filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.
The maximum penalty for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns is three years of imprisonment, and/or a fine of $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim. United States District Judge Susie Morgan set the sentencing hearing for May 2, 2018.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II is in charge of the prosecution.