Federal Court Bars Georgia Man & Tax Preparation Businesses From Preparing Returns

/PRNewswire/ -- A federal court has permanently barred Wayne Perry, a Macon, Ga., man, and his tax preparation firms, Premier Choice Inc. and Perry Tax Services, from preparing federal tax returns, the Justice Department announced today. Perry agreed to the injunction.

The government's complaint alleged that Perry fraudulently claimed fuel tax credits for customers who were not entitled to them. The fuel tax credit is available only to taxpayers who operate farm equipment or off-highway business vehicles. Perry allegedly claimed absurdly large credits by falsely reporting purchases of huge quantities of gasoline where, in most cases, the cost of the gasoline was greater than the customers' annual income. Perry had prepared over 6,300 federal tax returns since 2004, according to the government.

Fuel credit scams were on last year's IRS list of the Dirty Dozen Tax Scams. In the past few years the Justice Department has obtained injunctions shutting down many tax preparers who claim the phony credits on customers' returns.

Utility Service Co., Inc. Acquires Merithew Incorporated of Bridgewater, MA

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Utility Service Co., Inc. (USCI), the nation’s leading supplier of water storage tank maintenance services, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Merithew Incorporated of Bridgewater, MA. Founded in 1963 by Robert L. Merithew, Merithew Incorporated provides comprehensive, professional water tank inspection services to municipal and industrial water and wastewater customers in the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome the employees and clients of Merithew Incorporated to the USCI organization,” said Chris Boyd, president of USCI. “Over the years Merithew Incorporated has grown to be one of the largest water tank inspection companies in the northeast and they employ a staff of experienced inspectors, some of which have been with the company for over 30 years.”

According to Boyd, Merithew Incorporated is strategically located in the middle of the northeast/New England area, where USCI is actively engaged in a significant business development effort. “They have developed excellent relationships with municipalities for tank inspections and we fully expect to be able to leverage some of these relationships to sell new tank maintenance programs,” Boyd said.

USCI provides water tank maintenance services for more than 2,000 municipalities and private utilities throughout the United States, with a high concentration of clients in the southeast. The acquisition of Merithew Incorporated enables USCI to establish a paint/inspection service center in Bridgewater, MA, to support the company’s ongoing sales effort.

Under the terms of the agreement, the entire Merithew Incorporated management team will remain in place. “We believe this acquisition will provide our employees an excellent opportunity to grow,” said David Merithew, president of Merithew Incorporated. “The combination of our talent, technology and commitment with the financial and technical strength of USCI will give us greater access to the marketplace.”

Boyd points out that Merithew Incorporated’s expertise in tank inspection is key for USCI. This expertise will allow the company to rapidly assess and price adequately its maintenance program in the area. “They have gained an excellent and solid reputation for superior quality, service and technical knowledge in the industry,” Boyd said.

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