A federal court has permanently barred a Florida tax preparer who called himself “The Tax Doctor” from doing other people’s returns after he allegedly cost the Treasury at least $750,000 in bogus claims.
Harold Mette of Bradenton, Fla., who has a Ph.D. degree, consented to the permanent injunction order, which was entered by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
According to the government complaint, Mette promoted a sham home-based business scheme in the Manatee County area in Florida. The complaint alleges that Mette created a bogus corporation for each customer in order to fraudulently claim the customer’s non-deductible personal expenses as tax-deductible business expenses.
Among the improper personal expenses allegedly claimed as deductions were customers’ personal utility bills, mortgage payments, car expenses, vacations, and children’s education expenses. The suit alleges that Mette deducted customers’ personal medical expenses as purported "incentive" payments on the corporation returns.
