The Justice Department has asked a federal court to stop two Miami-based tax return preparers from improperly claiming the First-Time Home Buyer Credit.
The government complaints, filed in separate lawsuits in U.S. District Court in Miami, allege that Paula Olivette Patrice and her business, To the Max Tax Professionals Inc.; and Henry Ernesto Medina Jr. and his business, Medina Group Inc., prepare returns for customers that falsely claim the credit.
The government complaints allege that Patrice and Medina claimed the credit on customers returns even though the customers had not purchased new homes. Patrice allegedly listed nonexistent addresses for property purportedly purchased, and in one instance, listed the same address on separate customers returns as the property purchased. Medina allegedly filed returns in March 2009 that falsely reported property as having been purchased months later.
The Internal Revenue Service and Justice Department are committed to stopping abuse of the First-Time Home Buyer Credit, said John A. DiCicco, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Tax Division, in a statement.
