Tax preparer in Newport News sentenced to more than 2 years for preparing false returns

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A tax preparer in Newport News was sentenced to 27 months in prison for preparing false tax returns.

According to court documents, Angela Harper owned At Ease Tax Services, a tax preparation business that she operated in her home and hotel rooms in Newport News.

Between 2014 and 2018, Harper prepared tax returns that claimed fraudulent credits and deductions in an effort to inflate her clients’ refunds. Documents say Harper did not sign the returns in order to make it appear that the returns were self-prepared by her clients.

She also did not review the completed returns with her clients, nor did she provide copies of the returns even when the clients specifically requested them.

In total, Harper filed over 400 false tax returns and caused a tax loss of over $700,000 to the IRS.