NEWS RELEASE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Public Affairs Office Phone (803) 898-5464 Contact: Danny Brazell Fax (803) 898-5446 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jan. 13, 2004 Bishopville men arrested on tax charges South Carolina Department of Revenue investigators today charged two Bishopville men with tax fraud after the men turned themselves in to sheriff’s deputies at the Lee County Judicial Center. Eddie Lee Fortune, 52, a Bishopville tax preparer, was charged with three counts of assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns and Larry Glendell McPherson, 45, a textile employee, was charged with three counts of income tax evasion. Fortune is accused of using falsified tax deductions to prepare McPherson’s state income tax returns from 1999 – 2001. Fortune, who turned himself in this morning, was released by Lee County Magistrate A. W. Woodham on a $15,000 personal recognizance bond. McPherson turned himself in this afternoon and was released on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond by Lee County Magistrate Carolyn H. Jackson. Fortune and McPherson are accused of conspiring to obtain larger tax refunds by claiming fraudulent charitable and educational expense deductions on McPherson’s tax returns. Each of the men is facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges. ### |
