Suite 2001
                                                       211 West Fort Street
                                                       Detroit, Michigan 48226-3277
 

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Gina Balaya (313) 226-9758
             Stephen Moore, IRS CI (313) 628-3307

May 11, 2004

United States Attorney Jeffrey Collins, and Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Mark Kroczynski, announced that Maquilla Yvonne Squire, 42, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to serve 27 months in prison. This sentence was the result of a November 18, 2003, guilty plea to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns. This sentence was handed down by United States District Judge John Corbett O'Meara.

According to the court records, Ms. Squire willfully aided and assisted in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns in 2000 and 2001 while working out of her home. These two returns she prepared represented that clients made substantial gifts to charity, knowing that no such gifts were ever made. Other returns prepared by her included fictitious child care credits and other employment deductions, including clothes for work. The tax loss created by these false deductions totaled over $730,000. Furthermore, she was ordered by the court not to prepare any future tax returns. 

Mr. Kroczynski stated, "The hardships caused to the clients of an abusive return preparer, like Ms. Squire, can be great. People should not sign a return without reviewing it first. If the return contains false or inflated numbers, like large gifts to charity that were not made or extra dependants, do not sign it. No matter who prepares your tax return, the

taxpayer is ultimately responsible for the content of the return. Consequently, the taxpayer could be responsible for the repayment on the fraudulent refunds received and all associated penalties and interest, in addition to possibly being exposed to criminal charges. "

Mr. Collins commended the agents of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation for their work in this investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Patricia C. Uetz prosecuted the case.