BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - The owner and operator of a tax preparation service in Alabama has been indicted in a federal fraud case.
A grand jury handed up a 37-count indictment against Ametra Q. Wooden, Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and IRS Criminal Investigations Atlanta Field Office Special Agent in Charge James Dorsey said in a joint news release Wednesday. It was not immediately known if Wooden has an attorney who could speak on her behalf.
Wooden, 33, is charged with 35 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns and two counts of willfully failing to file personal income tax returns. If convicted, she faces a maximum of three years in prison on each of the aiding and assisting charges and a $250,000 fine and up to a year on each of the failing to file charges and a $100,000 fine.
According to the indictment, Wooden owned and operated A Plus Tax Experts & Financial Services, a tax preparation firm with locations in Birmingham and Jasper. Her alleged crimes occurred on behalf of clients for the tax years 2014 through 2017. And, in 2014 and 2016, she allegedly failed to file personal tax returns, federal authorities said.