Virginia Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Evading Her Own Taxes

A Richmond, Virginia, tax return preparer pleaded guilty today to tax evasion. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, Willette J. Holland owned Tax Professionals, a return preparation firm located in Richmond, Virginia. In August 2014, the IRS contacted Holland because she did not file personal tax returns for the years 2010 through 2013. Holland then presented false returns to an IRS Revenue Agent for those years, which substantially underreported her gross receipts and taxes due. Holland additionally attempted to evade taxes for 2014 by depositing income into a bank account held in the name of a nominee, thereby concealing her earnings from the IRS. In 2015 and 2016, Holland again did not file tax returns despite being required to do so by law.

Holland is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Francine Davis and Assistant Chief Michael Boteler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Cooke for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.