SHREVEPORT, La. – A federal grand jury in Shreveport has returned an indictment charging Deborah Cooksey, 56, of Minden, Louisiana, with filing false tax returns, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced.
Cooksey is the owner and operator of Cooksey’s Tax and Notary Services, LLC, in Minden, Louisiana, with her primary business being the preparation and electronic filing of individual income tax returns. The indictment charges Cooksey with two counts of making and subscribing a false tax return. It is alleged in the indictment that on two occasions, on or about April 15, 2015 and February 11, 2016, Cooksey created and filed her U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, Form 1040, for calendar years 2013 and 2014.
The indictment alleges that Cooksey’s federal income tax return for calendar year 2013 reported gross receipts and sales in the amount of $522,662 from her tax preparation services business for the calendar year 2013, when in fact she knew and believed that the gross sales and receipts for the calendar year 2013 were substantially higher than the amount reported.
It is further alleged in the indictment that Cooksey’s federal income tax return for calendar year 2014 reported gross receipts and sales in the amount of $459,361 from her tax preparation services business for the calendar year 2014, when in fact she knew and believed that the gross sales and receipts for the calendar year 2014 were substantially higher than the amount reported.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Internal Revenue Service is conducting the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick is prosecuting the case.