ATLANTA - Amberula Levitt, who owned Tax Time Tax Service, a tax preparation business with multiple locations throughout metro Atlanta, has been sentenced to serve one year and nine months in federal prison for committing tax fraud on her own personal tax returns.
“Individuals in the business of preparing tax returns for others should set an example of tax compliance," said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “Instead, Levitt used her knowledge and skills of the tax system defraud it. For that, she will be punished."
“While most preparers provide excellent service to their clients, a few dishonest return preparers give the industry a black eye," stated IRS Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge, Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot. “Return preparers must comply with the same tax obligations as the clients that they serve. No one is above the law."
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: From 2004 through 2010, Levitt owned and operated Tax Time Tax Service (“Tax Time"), a tax preparation business with multiple locations throughout metro Atlanta. Levitt fraudulently under-reported her earnings from Tax Time on her personal tax returns. For the years 2004 through 2009, Levitt owes approximately $620,000 in back taxes to the IRS.
Levitt has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Totenberg to one year, 9 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release, ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $620,004, and complete 100 hours of community service. Levitt, 45, of East Point, Ga., was convicted on two counts of filing false tax returns for the 2004 and 2005 tax years, after she pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, 2013.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Trial Attorney Christopher J. Maietta of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Grimberg prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
