Maricopa Tax Preparer Fined For Fabricating Tax Returns

justice money

A Maricopa tax preparer and owner of MM Tax Solutions, Michelle Schaefer, must pay nearly $12,000 in restitution and fines for preparing fictitious W-2’s with fabricated Arizona income tax withholdings for tax year 2018.

According to the Arizona Attorney general’s office, allegedly Schaefer committed the fraud in order to increase tax refunds for herself and three clients. As part of her agreement with the State, Schaefer will pay the Arizona Department of Revenue $2,965 in restitution and will pay a fine totaling $8,900. Additionally, the Court sentenced Schaefer to two years of supervised probation and ordered Schaefer to not prepare taxes for compensation going forward.

On December 13, 2021, Michelle Schaefer pleaded guilty to one count of Preparing False Return, as amended to a class 6 undesignated felony, in violation of A.R.S. § 42-1127(B)(2), for preparing a false tax return that was submitted to the Arizona Department of Revenue on or about April 24, 2019.

Schaefer was indicted in December 2020.

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