United States of America v. Danielle Melissa Staten

Raleigh, North Carolina criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with aiding and assisting in preparation of false tax returns.

Danielle Melissa Staten, 40, engaged in a scheme to prepare and file false and fraudulent federal income tax returns (Forms 1040) for others from 2018 to 2023, resulting in approximately $1.5 million in fake tax losses. Staten owned and operated Precise Tax Preparation, LLC, a tax return preparation in Greenville, North Carolina. It was anything but precise. She prepared false tax returns for clients that reported phony information to increase her client’s tax refunds. Many of the offending returns included false Schedules C, to report annual profit and loss from a small business. Staten generated false Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) claims by making up the income and expenses on the Schedules C, which fraudulently allowed the taxpayer to maximize the EITC credit.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment as to Count 1 with recommendations made - 1 year supervised release as to Count 1 with special conditions imposed - No fine - $100 special assessment - $1,508,171.00 restitution -