A Louisiana woman and her son are facing fraud charges for their work as tax preparers.
The Louisiana Department of Revenue said Wednesday that Madie Langley and her son Darin Langley, who work as tax preparers at Matrix Computers and Tax Services in Baton Rouge, were arrested on charges of filing or maintaining false public records and computer fraud. Darin Langley declined to comment when reached Thursday.
Authorities alleged that tax returns submitted by the mother and son contained suspicious information showing false businesses and business losses when their clients actually did not own a business or had not sustained a loss. The two face a total of 40 felony counts.
“The Department of Revenue is committed to combatting tax fraud,” Louisiana Secretary of Revenue Tim Barfield said in a statement. “As we begin the tax season, these recent arrests emphasize the need for Louisiana taxpayers to choose carefully when selecting a tax preparer. Taxpayers should be aware that when they select someone to prepare their tax returns, they are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of the information and any funds that the Department will seek to recover.”
The Louisiana Department of Revenue and the state Attorney General’s Office said the use of false business losses is one of the techniques they are targeting in a joint anti-tax fraud initiative that has resulted in 36 arrests since it began in March 2013.
“Our partnership with the Department of Revenue signifies Louisiana’s commitment to combating tax fraud,” said Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell. “This is not a victimless crime and those who choose to prepare fraudulent tax returns will be held accountable.”
Darin Langley faces 24 counts of suspected fraud and was arrested on Dec. 22, 2014. Madie Langley faces 16 counts of suspected fraud and was arrested on Jan. 12, 2015.
