San Diego court permanently bars tax preparer from federal return business

Traders Union
All News
Regulators
San diego tax preparer barred

Highlights

Oladapo Olagbemi permanently barred from federal tax return preparation and related business by a U.S. District Court injunction following criminal conviction.
Olagbemi pleaded guilty on June 4, 2026 to four counts of aiding and assisting false tax returns, sentenced to 18 months in prison, and ordered to pay $1,922,887.31 restitution.
Between 2019 and 2024, Olagbemi falsified numerous client tax return items, prompting enforcement action that removes him from the tax preparer market and restricts future sector involvement.

Court order follows guilty plea and restitution

As reported by U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California has issued a permanent injunction against Oladapo Olagbemi, preventing him from preparing federal tax returns for anyone other than himself. Olagbemi also is barred from owning any business involved in tax return preparation and from training any person in preparing tax returns; he consented to the civil injunction order.

According to the complaint, Olagbemi operated D.A.O. Accounting, Consulting, and Taxation, Inc., a San Diego-based tax return preparation business. On June 4, 2026, he pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, received an 18-month prison sentence, and was ordered to pay about $1,922,887.31 in restitution to the United States.

The complaint alleges that between 2019 and 2024, he falsified material items on client returns to minimize or eliminate tax due and secure refunds. Those filings included false Schedule 1, Schedule A, Schedule C, Schedule E, Form 2106, and Form 5695 entries, according to the case details.

Tax enforcement impact and taxpayer guidance

The case underscores continued federal enforcement pressure on paid preparers whose conduct exposes taxpayers and the Treasury to improper filings and refund claims. Permanent injunctions of this kind can remove preparers from the market even after related criminal proceedings, limiting their ability to re-enter the sector through ownership or training roles.

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Wu of the Civil Division's Tax Litigation Branch announced the action, and Tax Litigation Branch attorneys Kelark Azer Habashi and Jeffery N. Nunez handled the matter. The Justice Department also urges taxpayers to remain alert when choosing preparers, while the IRS provides website guidance and a free directory of federal tax preparers.

This adds to earlier discussion around COVID-19 tax credits, after a Minnesota preparer pleaded guilty to filing false returns.

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.