State issues consumer alert about Patterson tax preparer

The Louisiana Department of Revenue has won an order of contempt against a St. Mary Parish woman operating a tax preparation business in violation of a court judgment, the department said in a news release.

The original consent judgment, signed Dec. 20, prohibits Dawanna Monay Monroe of Patterson from filing, assisting in, or directing the preparation of any Louisiana tax return but her own. She had previously pleaded guilty to multiple felonies for a tax fraud scheme involving fabricated business losses for companies that did not exist. After her conviction, LDR sued Monroe to prevent her from working as a tax preparer in the state.

The department went back to court this year after the LDR Criminal Investigations Division determined Monroe was still working as a tax preparer in violation of the December 2021 order. They interviewed numerous taxpayers who said Monroe participated directly or indirectly in the preparation of their returns through her business, Tax & Financial Consultants, LLC, operating at 317 Callahan in Patterson and 801 South Lewis in New Ibeia.

As of May 18, 2 Monroe’s email address is listed as a primary contact on the business’s Facebook page, and records from the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office show that she maintains an ownership interest.

The 16th Judicial District Court in St. Mary Parish issued the contempt order this month requiring Monroe to withdraw any interest she has in any business engaged in the preparation or filing of Louisiana tax returns or other related documents or forms.

“We take seriously our responsibility to protect Louisiana taxpayers,” Secretary of Revenue Kevin Richard said. “If any preparer files state tax returns in violation of a consent judgment, the Department of Revenue will not hesitate to take them back to court.”