SCDOR agents arrested a Georgia woman on Monday and charged her with five counts of preparing false or fraudulent tax returns.
Tyra Rochelle Buie, 38, of Locust Grove, Ga., prepared Individual Income Tax returns for South Carolina taxpayers, most of whom sent her information using text or email. From 2019 to 2023, according to arrest warrants, Buie prepared 43 federal and South Carolina Individual Income Tax returns with fraudulent business losses and deductions totaling at least $1.8 million. Buie filed the returns electronically with the SCDOR.
The affected taxpayers did not know about or consent to the fraudulent entries, according to the warrants, and they were issued South Carolina Income Tax refunds they were not entitled to receive.
The SCDOR’s investigation shows that affected taxpayers owe at least $95,307 to the SCDOR because of the fraudulent returns. The taxpayers are responsible for paying the tax due and repaying any inflated refunds received.
If convicted, Buie faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a $500 fine per count. She is being held in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland County pending a bond hearing.
🛡️Fighting fraud is the SCDOR's highest priority. Remember, when you hire a tax preparer, you're giving them access to your most sensitive information, including identification numbers and financial data. With that in mind, the SCDOR encourages you to review these tips before hiring a tax preparer:
