U.S. Attorney's Office, Tennessee, Western, "Memphis Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Preparing False Returns for Clients" (Feb. 26, 2026)

Summary

Press release of February 26, 2026 from the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee, issued from Memphis, reporting that a 41-year-old Memphis tax return preparer pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. She prepared returns for clients for tax years 2018 through 2022 that included false education credits and sick and family leave credits, and for tax years 2020 and 2021 filed more than 1,000 returns seeking more than $9.25 million in fraudulent sick and family leave credits, generally without her clients' knowledge, causing a loss exceeding $350,000. She agreed to pay $386,661 in restitution and to be permanently enjoined from operating as a tax return preparer, and faces up to three years in prison at sentencing on June 10, 2026 before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L Parker.

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Full text

Memphis, TN – A Memphis tax return preparer pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns on behalf of clients. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.

The following is based on court documents and statements made in court: Rebecca Gilley , 41 , who also went by the names Rebecca Green and Rebecca Maxwell, owned and operated a tax preparation business in Memphis. Gilley prepared tax returns for clients for tax years 2018 through 2022 that included false education credits and sick and family leave credits. As a result of these and other false items, Gilley caused her clients to receive fraudulently inflated tax refunds that they were not entitled to receive.

For tax years 2020 and 2021, Gilley filed more than 1,000 tax returns seeking more than $9.25 million in fraudulent sick and family leave credits. She generally added these false items to her clients’ returns without their knowledge and rarely reviewed the final returns with the clients. In total, Gilley’s scheme caused a loss to the United States exceeding $350,000.

Gilley pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2026 before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L Parker and faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

As part of her plea agreement, Gilley agreed to pay $386,661 in restitution to the IRS and to be permanently enjoined from operating as a tax return preparer. She also faces a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Protection of the United States Treasury and taxpayer resources is a top priority for the Department of Justice and this office. Income tax fraud schemes strike at the very heart of our federal government’s financial ability to provide services and protection for our citizens, and we will use all available resources to punish and deter such dishonest criminal behavior.”

IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Caroline Pearson and Max Willner-Giwerc of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

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