April 3, 2018

The DOJ sued Steven M. Doletzky, Michael A. Garno, Michael A. Bass, and Florida corporations they used to operate Liberty Tax Service stores in the St. Petersburg, Florida area. The complaint seeks to permanently bar Doletzky, Garno, and Bass from preparing federal tax returns for others. In addition, the complaint seeks orders from the federal court requiring all defendants to disgorge to the United States any ill-gotten fees Doletzky, Bass, and Garno charged customers for the preparation of false or fraudulent federal tax returns. According to the complaint, as part of his tax fraud scheme, Doletzky recruited homeless individuals as customers by offering food, beverages, and false promises of assistance with obtaining welfare benefits on their behalf. Doletzky allegedly obtained vans to transport homeless individuals to his Liberty Tax Service stores from locations in the St. Petersburg area where homeless people were known to congregate. Doletzky then directed others to prepare false tax returns on behalf of these homeless individuals that claimed fraudulent tax refunds, the bulk of which Doletzky retained as tax preparation fees, the complaint alleges. DOJ