Second TV Advertiser accused of massive fraud

TV huckster Roni Deutch has had a $34million suit filed against her by California's Attorney General and wanabee Governor, again, Jerry Brown.  She is the second one in the last 30 days or so to be so accused.  The Texas Attorney General filed an injunction against TaxMasters of Houston for similar alleged offenses.

You might have noticed that our company, Jerry Slade & Associates, Inc., has de-emphasized the name "TaxMasters" which we had used since 1984 due to the fact that so many complaints were made against the Houston TaxMasters that began operations in 2004, using our name.  We don't want to be tarred with the same brush particularly since we have had no complaints filed against us and we mark the integrity of our dealings with beleagured taxpayers as our greatest aim.

We do not rejoice in their misfortune

Roni Deutch and TaxMasters of Houston followed similar complaints filed against JK Harris, also of TV fame.  JK Harris and TaxMasters of Houston have survived as I suspect Roni Deutch will also.  It is very difficult for our judicial system to shut down bad operators even if they were to be convicted of these charges.  Unfortunately, there are tens of thousands of victims of shady practices, only a small portion of whom we talk to subsequent to their seeking alternative assistance. Having sent several thousand of dollars to these type of firms, they usually have no funds left to have their cases resolved as they were promised. 

We are not the judge and jury

We cannot look into the hearts and minds of those who are accused of these misdeeds.  We can only re-double our efforts to provide a safe haven of support for taxpayers who need someone to represent them in resolving their tax problems with integrity and sensitivity.  Roni Deutch and TaxMasters of Houston and others like them may have their days in court.  In the meantime, they continue to operate and hopefully stop doing things which are detrimental to their clients interest. 

There is a great lesson to be learned by us all

Be very careful who you select to represent you in preparing your taxes and, even more importantly, those to represent you when you have issues with the IRS.  Don't try to represent yourself unless the issue is pretty basic; you don't know your rights and the person you talk to at the IRS will not assert those for you. 

August 24, 2010

California AG Jerry Brown Sues 'Tax Lady' Roni Deutch for 'Swindling Thousands of Clients'

California Attorney General (and Democratic gubernatorial candidate)Jerry Brown has filed a $34 million lawsuit against Roni Deutch, claiming that the self-described "Tax Lady" has swindled thousands of customers with tax problems with the IRS.  From the press release:

Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today filed a $34 million lawsuit against television's "Tax Lady Roni Deutch" for orchestrating a "heartless scheme" that swindled thousands of people facing serious and expensive tax collection problems with the IRS. "Tax Lady Roni Deutch is engaged in a heartless scheme that swindled people with tax problems," Brown said. "She promises to significantly reduce their IRS tax debts, but instead preys on their vulnerability, taking large up-front payments but providing little or no help in lowering their tax bills."

• Complaint
• Request for Preliminary Injunction)