Officials with the Louisiana Department of Revenue are warning consumers to avoid a St. Mary Parish woman who allegedly is preparing taxes for people - even after she was told not to.
Back in December, a consent judgment was filed in court that prohibited Dawanna Monay Monroe of Patterson from preparing any tax return other than her own. She had previously pled guilty to multiple felonies for a tax fraud scheme involving fabricated business losses for companies that did not exist. After her conviction, LDR sued Monroe to prevent her from working as a tax preparer in the state.
The department went back to court this year after the LDR Criminal Investigations Division determined Monroe was still working as a tax preparer in violation of the December 2021 order. They say they interviewed numerous taxpayers who said Monroe participated directly or indirectly in the preparation of their returns through her business, Tax & Financial Consultants, LLC, operating at two locations:
317 Callahan Street, Patterson
801 S. Lewis Street, New Iberia
As of May 18, 2022, Monroe’s email address is listed as a primary contact on the business’s Facebook page, and records from the Louisiana Secretary of State show that she maintains an ownership interest, LDR officials tell us.
The 16th Judicial District Court in St. Mary Parish issued a contempt order this month requiring Monroe to withdraw any interest she has in any business engaged in the preparation or filing of Louisiana tax returns or other related documents or forms.
“We take seriously our responsibility to protect Louisiana taxpayers,” Secretary of Revenue Kevin Richard said. “If any preparer files state tax returns in violation of a consent judgment, the Department of Revenue will not hesitate to take them back to court.”
Monroe is not the only person barred from preparing a Louisiana tax return. Click here to see the full list of individuals barred from preparing Louisiana state tax returns.
