Five Locals Indicted In Alleged Tax Fraud Scheme

A federal grand jury has indicted a local income tax preparer and four business owners in a conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and help file false tax returns.The defendants from Columbus face multiple charges. The tax preparer, 39-year-old Fatma Ali, allegedly created false tax documents between 2008 and 2012. The other defendants allegedly underreported their income, and the fraudulent filings enabled people to receive tax credits for which they were not eligible.