Naples tax preparer sentenced in tax fraud scheme

Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published:
Ancelot Similien (Credit: CCSO booking photo from 2013)

A Naples tax preparer was sentenced Tuesday to 22 months in federal prison for preparing and filing false federal tax returns.

Ancelot Similien, 40, was also ordered to pay $103,393 to the IRS in restitution. Similien entered a guilty plea on March 5.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Similien was the owner and operator of D’Lux Tax Inc. (“DTI”), a tax preparation business in Naples. For the tax years 2013 through 2016, Similien prepared and filed false and fraudulent Forms 1040 for his clients. The tax returns contained material falsities, including false Schedule C business losses and false Schedule A itemized deductions. As a result, Similien caused larger income tax refunds to be issued to his clients than what they were entitled to.

Similien continued to prepare and file false returns, even after suspension of his Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN), by using an EFIN assigned to another individual. Similien prepared a double set of returns, one for the IRS, and one for his clients that did not show the false items reported on the returns filed with the IRS. Similien “skimmed” some of the refunds issued to the taxpayers by retaining portions of the fraudulent refunds for his own personal use, in addition to charging the taxpayers tax return preparation fees.

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