A United States district court has permanently barred a former tax return preparer, Oladapo Olagbemi, from preparing federal tax returns for anyone other than himself, following his conviction for aiding the filing of false tax returns.

The district court at the South California also prohibited Mr Olagbemi from owning any business involved in tax return preparation or training anyone to prepare tax returns.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the ban in a statement, adding that Mr Olagbemi consented to the court order and pleaded guilty.

According to the DOJ, the culprit operated a San Diego-based tax preparation business known as D.A.O. Accounting, Consulting, and Taxation, Inc.

It noted that on June 4, 2026, Mr Olagbemi pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.

He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.9 million in restitution to the United States.

The DOJ stated that between 2019 and 2024, Olagbemi deliberately falsified information on clients’ tax returns to reduce or eliminate their tax liabilities and secure refunds.

It said that he achieved this by including false schedules and forms, including Schedules 1, A, C and E, as well as Forms 2106 and 5695.

The Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Joshua Wu of the DOJ’s Civil Division, Tax Litigation Branch, announced the development while Tax Litigation Branch attorneys, Azer Habashi and Jeffery N. Nunez handled the case.

The DOJ advised taxpayers to exercise caution when selecting tax return preparers, warning them to remain vigilant against fraudulent operators.

Taxpayers were also advised to consult the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) online for guidance on choosing tax preparers and its free directory of federal tax return preparers. The IRS also provides tips on avoiding tax-season fraud and protecting personal information.