CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Corpus Christi tax service owner is set to appear in federal court Friday morning to be arraigned on charges of tax fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Berlinda Luikens, the owner and operator of The Tax Company, is charged in a 41-count indictment returned March 9. She is set to appear for her arraignment today at 10 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton.
The charges allege she submitted false Form 1040 tax returns by including fraudulent Schedule C and Schedule F items, including fictitious businesses. This resulted in higher tax refund amounts her clients were not entitled to receive, according to the charges.
Luikens allegedly caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue loss, officials said.
“IRS - Criminal Investigation (CI) takes the job of investigating criminal violations of our nation’s tax laws seriously because tax fraud steals from programs that help every American,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton. “We will continue working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to help identify suspected tax criminals and protect taxpayers’ money.”
If convicted, Luikens faces up to three years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each count of conviction.
IRS-CI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck is prosecuting the case.
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