Federal Court Shuts Down Texas Tax Return Preparer

A federal court in Dallas has permanently barred Joseph Rivas of DeSoto, Texas, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced May 3. The civil injunction order, to which Rivas consented without admitting the allegations against him, was signed by Judge Sidney Fitzwater of the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

 

The government complaint in the case alleged that Rivas claimed fake mortgage-interest deductions, illegally deducted Social Security taxes as state and local taxes, and fabricated employee business expenses, among other fraudulent items, on his customers' tax returns. According to the complaint, the harm to the United States from Rivas's misconduct could be $7.8 million or more.

 

The court also ordered Rivas to provide the government with a list of all persons for whom he has prepared federal tax returns since January 1, 2010.