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Lessons in client service, Minneapolis-style

January 26, 2010

Sometimes hiring a shady preparer brings unanticipated risks. Like death:

The problems started when a man identified as "P.M." in the criminal complaint prepared a fraudulent tax return for Nunn's girlfriend. The plan was for the pair to split the proceeds.

But apparently Nunn's girlfriend thought she didn't get her fair share. She told 21-year-old Nunn about it, and Nunn went for revenge: He and two other men paid a visit to P.M. at his girlfriend's home and tried to rob him. Nunn allegedly waved a .45-caliber pistol around and told everybody to "get on the floor as this was a robbery and to get on the floor and get out their money as they know what time it is," according to the complaint. P.M. grabbed the pistol from Nunn, and shot him dead.

What is the "fair share" of a fraudulent return anyway? Can you split the prison time? In any case, it looks like P.M. will not face jail time for his rather harsh client service:

Nunn's two accomplices, Curtis A.J. Harrell, 18 and Travis Jesse Koehn, 25, have been charged with felony attempted aggravated robbery. City Pages counted Nunn's death as the 7th murder in Minneapolis so far this year, but it appears that the killing will not be charged as that specific crime, since it was in self-defense.

It is likely that "P.M" will get in a lot more trouble with the IRS for the false return than for shooting the dissatisfied client's boyfriend.

Link: Criminal complaint

Tags: Minnesota.preparer penalties.preparer regulation.Preparers.tax crime.

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