Galloway, NJ, Tax Preparer Sentenced for Tax Fraud

Officials say a tax preparer from Galloway has been sentenced for using false information to increase her clients’ tax refunds and for filing her own false tax returns.

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42-year-old Michele Griffin previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging her with aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false income tax return, according to U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger.

Griffin was sentenced to one year and one day in prison in Camden federal court on Wednesday.

According to court documents,

Griffin prepared multiple fraudulent tax returns on behalf of her clients by falsifying their education expenses, dependent care expenses, business income, dependent information, and unemployment income. As a result, her clients’ returns requested higher tax credits and higher refunds than the clients were entitled to receive.

Sellinger said Griffin prepared 19 false tax returns on behalf of six clients and filed three false tax returns for herself. She admitted causing a tax loss of approximately $135,000.

In addition to the prison term, Griffin was sentenced to one year of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $135,063.

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