Two Pensacola tax preparers pleaded guilty to multiple federal counts related to filing false tax returns and stealing government money, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
D’ontrinique Johnson and Tequilla Nairn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to aid or assist in preparation of false tax returns, one count of stealing government money and three counts of filing a false tax return. Nairn also pleaded to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud.
“This successful prosecution by my office should be a warning to fraudsters anywhere in the Northern District of Florida: your time is up,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida John Heekin said. “If you rip off the U.S. taxpayer by defrauding the federal government, you have punched a one-way ticket for yourself to federal prison.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Johnson worked for Nairn, who owned the tax return business First Premium Solutions. From 2021 to 2023, the two conspired to “routinely prepare” falsified federal income tax returns for their clients and personal returns.
Together, they collectively prevented the payment of more than $192,000 in taxes owed to the IRS.
In 2020 and 2021, Nairn also filed to obtain unemployment insurance benefits from Florida and Virginia by falsely claiming she was not working due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she continued working as a tax preparer and did not report the additional benefits on subsequent tax returns.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced July 28, according to court records, and Nairn is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 8.
Benjamin Johnson is the breaking news, crime and military reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He covers local law enforcement, courts, breaking news and military within Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. He can be reached at bjohnson@pnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola tax preparers plead guilty to filing false returns
Reporting by Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
