SC tax preparer sentenced for filing false returns

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A 56-year-old Spartanburg woman has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for preparing hundreds of inflated tax returns for residents in North and South Carolina and pocketing the refunds.

U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles says Pamela McKenzie was sentenced in federal court Wednesday on charges of making a false claim for a tax refund and identity theft. She must pay back more than $125,000 the Internal Revenue Service issued in refunds.

McKenzie operated a business named U-Turn Tax Returns in both Carolinas. Prosecutors say she prepared tax documents with inflated wage and withholding information, false dependents and false deductions.

Prosecutors say she also took the information of at least 11 taxpayers without their permission and used it to file false tax returns. She deposited those refunds in her bank accounts.