Bridgeport tax return preparer sentenced to prison for tax fraud

Torise Baker, a Bridgeport tax return prepare who pleaded guilty to a tax fraud offense, was sentenced to three months of imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release.

Baker was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2021 on 13 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent income tax returns. According to the charges brought against her, Baker prepared tax returns for clients through her company 101 Things 2 Do LLC between 2014 and 2016 that were riddled with false deductions, including unreimbursed business expenses, charitable contributions and tax preparation fees. Baker was also accused of failing to file her own federal tax return for 2015.

In April 2016, Baker met with an undercover federal agent posing as a customer. The agent provided Baker with a W-2 for the 2015 tax year, offered no information about any valid deductions and claimed not to have made any gifts to charity. On the tax return that she prepared and filed for the agent, Baker included $5,520 in deductions for charitable gifts, $2,105 for parking fees, tolls, and transportation, and $2,660 for uniforms and protective clothing.

In addition, Baker failed to file her own federal tax returns for the 2015 and 2016 tax years.

Last March, Baker pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent income tax returns. She has agreed to pay $112,956 in restitution to the IRS.

As part of her sentencing, Baker was ordered to serve the first month of her supervised release in home detention and to pay a $7,500 fine.

As a result of Baker”™s criminal conduct, many of her clients”™ filed tax returns will need to be amended.