FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAX

MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2006 (202) 514-2007

WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888

Federal Judge Shuts Down Second Tax

Preparer Who Targeted Bosnian
Immigrants In Bogus Tax-refund
Scheme
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Justice Department announced today that a federal
court has barred Angelique Tinder of Houston, Texas, formerly of Rockford,
Illinois, from preparing federal income tax returns for others. The permanent
injunction, to which Tinder consented, was entered by Judge Philip G. Reinhard of
the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Government papers filed in the case alleged that Tinder filed amended tax returns
for Bosnian immigrants and others claiming refunds based on fictitious or inflated
deductions for such things as charitable contributions, business expenses, and
medical expenses. The suit also alleged that Tinder falsely advised her Bosnian-
immigrant customers that they can claim as dependents persons overseas to whom
they send support payments. The complaint alleged that the IRS believes that Tinder
has understated her customers’ tax liability by at least $2.6 million for the years
2000–2002.

“The Justice Department is working vigorously to stop the preparation and filing of
the false or fraudulent returns,” said Eileen J. O’Connor, Assistant Attorney General
for the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “People who hire a tax preparer should
review their returns carefully to make sure that they are truthful.”

“While most tax-return preparers provide excellent service to their clients, the IRS
is serious about investigating those who are engaged in fraudulent activities,” said
Kevin M. Brown, Commissioner of the IRS Small Business/Self-Employed
Division. “I encourage the public to bring questionable promotions and abusive
preparers to our attention.”

The court’s order requires Tinder to give the Justice Department a list of her
customers’ names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and Social Security numbers. More
information about this case is available at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/txdv05110.htm.
Earlier this year, the Department secured an injunction against an unrelated
Rockford return preparer from preparing false federal income tax returns on behalf
of his Bosnian customers. Information on that case is available at
http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/txdv06021.htm. The Justice Department has sought and
obtained injunctions recently against more than 150 federal tax return preparers and
promoters. More information about these cases is available on the Justice
Department website at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/taxpress2006.htm. More
information about the Justice Department’s Tax Division can be found at
http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/index.html.

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