TUCSON — A federal jury in Tucson has convicted Arizona tax preparer Darlene Musgrove, 68, of 22 counts of preparing false federal income tax returns, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said, according to KTAR News.
Twelve of her clients testified that they did not have the deductions Musgrove listed on their returns and did not know they had been added. Several said their refunds were bigger than in previous years.
Prosecutors argued Musgrove inflated refunds to keep clients coming back. The 22 returns caused a tax loss of about $127,166, according to federal prosecutors.
Musgrove faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a $100,000 fine or both when she is sentenced Feb. 23, 2027, prosecutors said.
Sources: KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Simeon87 / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
