Federal Court Shuts Down Illinois Tax Preparer

Joliet Man Claimed Improper Deductions on Customers’ Returns, Allegedly Resulting in Millions in Lost Tax Revenue Annually

WASHINGTON - A federal judge in Chicago has issued a preliminary injunction against a Joliet, Ill., tax return preparer, the Justice Department announced today. The order bars Sidney Dove, individually and doing business as Sid’s Tax Service, from acting as a tax return preparer, representing customers before the Internal Revenue Service, and providing tax advice to others. The order remains in effect until further notice. The court had entered a temporary restraining order against Dove on April 1, 2010.

The court found that Dove prepared tax returns for customers containing false itemized deductions, and false business and rental expense deductions. The court found that Dove knew or should have known that the information reported on the returns he prepared was unrealistic and without a reasonable basis.

The government’s complaint alleged that Dove prepared returns for others claiming inflated or fabricated charitable contribution and business expense deductions, and false tuition and rental expense deductions. Court papers allege that the annual tax loss from Dove’s return preparation cost the government millions in lost tax revenue.

In the past decade, the Justice Department's Tax Division has obtained more than 465 injunctions against tax fraud promoters and tax return preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department's Web site.