EVERETT – Diane Colombi drove up to a tax preparation business Friday to drop off one last form so she could get a few bucks back from Uncle Sam.
Associated Press
Instead, she was greeted by an Internal Revenue Service agent who told her she had better file an extension, because she’d be missing the midnight deadline. Her tax papers had likely been seized in an IRS raid.
“I was shocked as ever. I was so excited about my little deduction,” the Stanwood woman said. “Now what do I do?”
Agents with the IRS’ criminal investigation division swarmed the business in a south Everett home early Friday. An agent posted outside the front gate handed out extension forms but no explanations to several stunned customers.
Investigators refused to say why they were there or who was the focus of their investigation.
“We’re on official business,” spokesman and special agent Dan Wardlaw said, adding that no one had been arrested.
His division investigates tax crimes, money laundering and financial fraud.
A van outside the single story house in the 10600 block of Fourth Avenue W. advertised tax preparation, financial planning, credit repairs and mortgage banking.
“We solve financial and tax problems” was lettered on the white van. Surveillance cameras were mounted around the property, and a Mercedes sat in the driveway.
The homeowner has lived at the house for about a decade, neighbors said. The office is at the back of the house, Colombi said.
Doug Brown of Marysville said the owner has prepared his taxes for the past three years. “Everything has always seemed on the up and up,” Brown said Friday when he came to pick up his tax forms.
The Marysville man was also told to file an extension. Those who get the automatic extension have until Aug. 15 to file their forms. But any balance due had to be paid Friday to avoid possible penalties.
Colombi is worried about how she will file her taxes because she turned over all her receipts to the business owner.
Agents loaded up a U-Haul with several computers and dozens of boxes of files from the house.
“I was told someone would contact me, but it wouldn’t be anytime soon,” she said.
This was the first time Colombi used the business for tax preparation. One of her husband’s co-workers referred them to the business, saying the owner was reliable and inexpensive.
The tax preparer asked for a lot of documentation and seemed very thorough, Colombi said, adding that she was expecting a small return.
“I’m just really surprised there’d be any tax trouble,” she said. “We just wanted to get it done and get it in on time. Apparently, that’s not going to happen.”
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