Justice Department Obtains Order Holding in Contempt Florida Man Who Is Permanently Enjoined from Preparing Tax Returns

A federal court in New Jersey last month held in contempt Abraham Taylor, a resident of Florida and formerly of New Jersey, for continuing to prepare returns after the court permanently barred him and his business - Chentay Consulting Services LP, doing business as CCS Tax Services - from preparing federal income tax returns for others.

According to the court's contempt order, Taylor concealed his violations of the permanent injunction by using electronic filing privileges assigned to Fredrick Gibson, of Uncle Sam Tax Services in Pennsylvania. Taylor agreed to the entry of the contempt order and a disgorgement judgment for preparing returns in violation of the injunction. Gibson agreed to forfeit his electronic filing privileges which Taylor had used to conceal his identity.

Taylor was previously held in contempt in 2021 for using electronic filing privileges assigned to his son O'Neal Taylor and his son's business O'Neal Z. Taylor. Through the contempt order, Taylor agreed to a disgorgement judgment and O'Neal agreed to forfeit his electronic filing privileges.

The most recent contempt order requires Taylor to provide the United States with a list of his customers and to send a copy of the court's injunction order to all customers for whom he prepared returns. It also provides that the court shall order the sale of Taylor's house to satisfy the two disgorgement judgments if Taylor continues to prepare returns in violation of the injunction.

Each year the IRS highlights some of the tax scams that put taxpayers at risk of losing money, personal information, data and more. In the IRS' most recent list, it specifically warned taxpayers "to beware of promoters peddling bogus tax schemes aimed at reducing taxes or avoiding them altogether."

The IRS has some tips on its website for choosing a tax preparer, and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers and tax scheme promoters. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department's website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.