A former Durham, North Carolina, tax return preparer was sentenced to 24 months in prison today for aiding and assisting in the preparation of fraudulent income tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina.

According to documents filed with the court, Maria Streater worked for KEF Professional Tax Services, a tax preparation business located in Durham. From 2012 through 2014, Streater prepared fraudulent income tax returns for clients by creating false sources of income in order to maximize the earned income tax credit and obtain refunds to which her clients were not entitled. Streater agreed that she caused a tax loss of $274,090.

In addition to the term of prison imposed, U.S. District Court Judge Catherine C. Eagles ordered Streater to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $83,083 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Hairston commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anand Ramaswamy and Trial Attorney Nathan Brooks of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.