Justice Department says Wichita tax preparer gives fraudulent tax returns to customers

The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to shut down a Wichita tax return preparer.

The department filed a civil lawsuit against the preparer, alleging that she prepares fraudulent tax returns for her customers.

The lawsuit asks that the court permanently ban Ma Guadalupe Valenzuela — also known as Maria Guadalupe Valenzuela, Lupe Valenzuela and as Servicio de Income Tax — from preparing federal tax returns for others.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Wichita on Monday, according to a release from the Department of Justice.

The department also requests for Valenzuela to give the names of all customers she has prepared tax returns for since 2012.

“The complaint alleges that the defendant unlawfully understates her customers’ income tax liabilities and overstates these customers’ refunds,” the release states. “According to the complaint, Valenzuela unlawfully prepares federal tax returns that lowers her customers’ federal tax liabilities by claiming bogus child tax credits, improper dependency exemptions and false filing statuses.”

This story was originally published February 5, 2018 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Justice Department says Wichita tax preparer gives fraudulent tax returns to customers."