West Philadelphia tax preparer faces jail

The 17 clients who trekked to Terrance A. Jenkins' tax office in West Philadelphia always got nice refunds, year after year.

They never asked questions, a government prosecutor said Wednesday. But eventually the IRS did.

Now, the 17 people have to repay about $132,000 and Jenkins faces jail time for falsifying expenses on their Schedule A itemized deductions form.

Jenkins, 38, of West Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to 35 counts of "aiding and assisting the preparation of false returns" at his firm, 1040s Made EZ L.L.C.

"That is what happened," he told U.S. District Judge Joel H. Slomsky.

He is not charged with faking his own tax returns.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo R. Tsao said that at tax time each year Jenkins interviewed his clients, and without the clients' knowledge inflated the claimed charitable, business or child deductions.

Between 2003 and 2007, the taxpayers got larger refunds, and Jenkins took a chunk as his preparation fee.

Tsao said the clients "simply signed" the returns at the office on the 6000 block of West Jefferson Street and never reviewed Jenkins' work.

The "tax loss" suffered by the government - or the extra refunds the taxpayers received - ranged from $9,688 to a low of $795.

Jenkins' clients were not identified in court, but the IRS said they have been dunned for repayment of the refunds.

Jenkins acknowledged that he could get 105 years in jail, but Slomsky told the defendant and his attorney, Marc J. Frumer, "I'm not going to do that."

To which Jenkins said, "Thank you, your Honor."

Sentencing is scheduled for December.