NEWS RELEASE
SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
Public Affairs Office
Contact: Danny Brazell
Phone: (803) 898-5464
E-mail: BrazelD@sctax.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2007

Hartsville tax preparer arrested on tax fraud charges

South Carolina Department of Revenue investigators and Darlington County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested the owner of a Hartsville tax preparation service today and charged her with preparing fraudulent state income tax returns.

Louvenia Wilson Washington, 39, owner of Washington’s Tax Service, was charged with 19 counts of preparing fraudulent state tax returns from 2003 – 2005. She is being held at the Darlington County Detention Center pending a bond hearing.

Washington, a Hartsville resident, is accused of using fraudulent tax documents and overstating itemized deductions to collect larger tax refunds for her clients than they were entitled. A revenue department audit showed that at least 10 taxpayers who had their returns prepared by Washington during that period and who received refunds actually have a combined state tax liability of more than $23,213.

Washington is facing up to five years in prison on each charge and fines up to $9,500 if convicted. No further arrests are expected in this case.

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