Justice Department Sues Fort Worth-Area Tax Preparation Business and Its Owners

Note: View complaint here.

The Justice Department today filed a civil injunction suit in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas. The lawsuit seeks to bar Amberley Ritter, Wesley Franklin, Mark Burkart, Kenneth Garner, and DFW Integrity Taxpros Services LLC, which does business as Integrity Tax Pros, from owning or operating a tax preparation business and preparing tax returns for others. The complaint also requests that the court require the defendants to disgorge the return preparation fees they obtained from preparing allegedly false or fraudulent tax returns.

According to the complaint, Ritter, Franklin, and Burkart own Integrity Tax Pros, which operates as tax preparation stores in the Fort Worth area: North Richland Hills, Azle, Watauga, Haltom City, Hurst, and Saginaw. The complaint alleges that Garner acted as the General Manager overseeing Integrity Tax Pros stores.

In the complaint, the government alleges that the defendants, and those acting at their direction, prepare and file tax returns to falsely increase their customers' refunds, and they profit through high and often undisclosed preparation fees - at the expense of their customers and the Treasury. Examples of misconduct by defendants, and those acting at their direction, alleged in the complaint include:

• Falsely claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit;
• Fabricating businesses and related business income and expenses;
• Claiming false education credits;
• Claiming fabricated COVID-19-related tax credits;
• Fabricating itemized deductions, including for unreimbursed employee business expenses;
• Failing to conduct the required due diligence when claiming tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit; and
• Failing to identify the actual paid preparer of completed tax returns.

The Tax Division reminds taxpayers that the IRS has information, tips and reminders on its site for choosing a tax preparer carefully (Choosing a Tax Professional and How to Choose a Tax Return Preparer) and has launched a free directory of credentialed federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers taxpayers tips to protect their identities and wallets when filing their taxes.

In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.

In the past decade, the Justice Department's Tax Division has obtained civil injunctions and criminal convictions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department's website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.