Federal Court Bans Englewood Tax Preparer Who Ran 8-Year Fraud Scheme

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. — A former city tax preparer who conspired with others to cheat the government out of $17 million while running a tax fraud scheme for eight years has been banned from the practice, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a news release Monday.

Lester Morrison pleaded guilty in 2010 to orchestrating a large-scale tax fraud scheme for eight years he ran with four associates. He pleaded guilty in 2010 to tax fraud.

U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan issued a permanent injunction against Morrison preparing federal income tax returns or interfering with the administration and enforcement of federal tax laws. Nathan previously issued similar injunctions against Morrison's four co-conspirators: Paulette Bullock, Gary Hanna, Joy David, and Kevin Vaden. As of April, Morrison and his associates were released from federal prison.

Morrison and the others ran the fraud scheme from 2000 to 2008, which involved filing thousands of false and fraudulent tax returns through a business located in Englewood and the Bronx.

"The injunctions against Morrison and his cohorts make clear that tax preparers who defraud the IRS will not only face criminal charges, but will also be barred from working in the tax return preparation business," Bharara said in the news release.

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