Atlantic City Tax Preparer Indicted for Filing Fraudulent Returns

The owner of TVO Services, a tax prep business in Atlantic City, N.J., has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 28 counts of preparing fraudulent tax returns for clients.

Tinh Van Vo allegedly prepared more than 97 fraudulent tax returns for 28 clients for tax years 2007 through 2010 by fabricating and inflating Schedule A itemized deductions such as unreimbursed employee business expenses and charitable contributions as well as fabricating education expenses in order to obtain educational credits on their returns. According to prosecutors, none of the 28 clients incurred the expenses nor did they submit documentation or represent to Vo that they had.

“As we continue with this year’s filing season, the allegations in the indictment against Mr. Vo should serve as a reminder on how important it is when choosing a tax preparer”, said Jonathan D. Larsen, acting special agent-in-charge at IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Newark Field Office, in a statement. “While most return preparers provide excellent service to their clients, a few dishonest tax preparers file false and fraudulent returns to defraud the government, the taxpaying public and their own clients.”

If convicted, Vo faces up to three years of prison and and a fine of $250,000 on each of the 28 counts of the indictment.

The investigation was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Newark Field Office, under Larsen's direction and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Carle.

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