It’s tax season, the time when people hope to get back some of the money they overpaid, whether it feels like a bonus or a bill from the IRS. Filing taxes is a must for anyone who wants to stay out of legal trouble. So when taxpayers in metro Atlanta chose a local tax preparation company, they didn’t expect to end up with fake paperwork and thousands of dollars in debt.
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According to WSB-TV2, several taxpayers have accused Jahaya King, owner of Fulton County’s Whitlan Tax Service, of not only stealing their money but also failing to file returns at all, forging documents, and leaving clients with overwhelming debt.
Former client Donna Hines told Channel 2’s investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln that she paid the company $1,000 in monthly installments, which she was told were going to the IRS to settle her 93-year-old mother’s back taxes. However, a police report later alleged that the money went directly to King and her husband. The returns for Hines’ mother, who is now deceased, were never filed.
“If I had paid it on time, it would have been about $6,500,” Hines told the outlet. Due to penalties and processing delays, Hines said the amount is now $28,000.
A second client, who remained anonymous, said she was promised about $40,000 for amended returns. She later hired a certified tax consultant who discovered that COVID-era tax credits on her returns appeared to be falsified. When she requested her amended returns, they were heavily redacted. According to the former client, the consultant described the returns as looking “like the Epstein files,” she told WSB-TV2.
In addition, Channel 2’s search of the IRS database found that neither King nor her husband appeared to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number, or PTIN — a federal requirement for all paid tax preparers.
Several customers said they struggled to contact King about their concerns and were frequently told she was out of the office due to illness. When Lincoln visited the business and later called the office, she received the same explanation. “She’s in the hospital,” someone at the business said during the call.
King has not publicly responded to the allegations, according to the outlet. The South Fulton Police Department has since opened a theft-by-deception investigation.
Taxpayers are urged to watch for red flags. “A legitimate tax preparer is going to review your files, review your income, ask questions, and not make any personal guarantees or promises,” tax expert Shana Pope told the outlet.
The IRS emphasizes that the taxpayer is ultimately responsible for the debt.
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