Feds want Tampa tax preparer closed down

TAMPA -- Federal prosecutors asked a judge to bar a Tampa tax preparer from preparing tax returns for others after they accused him of fraud.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court's Middle District of Florida, targets Milot Odne, who owns Rapid Tax 1 in Tampa. Prosecutors say Odne targeted low-income customers with deceptive and misleading advertisements, prepared and filed fraudulent tax returns to increase customer refunds and profited through “unconscionable and exorbitant” fees, all at the expense of his customers and the U.S. Treasury.

Prosecutors also say there is a “culture of greed” at Rapid Tax 1 that “expressly promotes and encourages the preparation of false and fraudulent federal tax returns in order to maximize corporate and individual profits." That includes allegedly falsely claiming the earned income tax credit, claiming improper filing status, fabricating businesses and related business income and expenses and falsely claiming education credits customers were not entitled to, among others.

The IRS estimates its losses from Odne's alleged activities in 2013, 2014 and this year could top $35.5 million.

Rapid Tax 1 is a former franchisee of LBS Tax Services, which has fielded a number of customer complaints in the past. Federal prosecutors have sought out similar injunctions against other tax preparers who worked with LBS Tax Services, successfully banning Jehoakim Victor in Orlando and Lauri Rodriguez in Tampa last February.