The two were responsible for preparing false tax returns that caused more than $11 million dollars in losses to the IRS, federal tax officials said.

TAMPA – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentencedthe former pastor of a Tampa church and his daughter to federal prison for their roles in a conspiracy to commit tax fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Luckner Stimphil, 55, Brandon, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Stimphil’s daughter, Elwolfine Dufort, 31, of Riverview, was sentenced earlier this month to two years in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy. The court also ordered Stimphil and Dufort to pay $11 million in restitution to the U.S. and imposed a $10,000 fine against Stimphil. Stimphil and Dufort pleaded guilty in February.

Stimphil and Dufort have agreed to be permanently enjoined from preparing or assisting in the preparation or filing of federal tax returns or other related documents for any other person or entity; from maintaining any association with a tax return preparation business; and from instructing, teaching, or otherwise training any person in the preparation of federal tax returns. Stimphil further consented to pay all taxes, interest, and penalties he owed to the IRS relating to his personal tax returns for years 2012 and 2013.

According to court documents, Stimphil, the then-pastor at First Calvary Family Life Ministry in Tampa, created and operated Top Popular Tax, a tax return preparer business with offices in Tampa, Winter Haven, and other locations. The business operated from around 2011 through at least mid-2015.

Stimphil, Dufort, and others working under Stimphil’s supervision, routinely assisted in and advised in the preparation and presentation to the IRS of false and fraudulent Top Popular Tax clients’ IRS Forms 1040. They included materially false and fraudulent information on the client-taxpayers’ Schedule C Forms (business income or loss) and Forms 8863 (associated with a claim for the American opportunity credit).

Some of the forms submitted to the IRS by Top Popular Tax also included a false and fraudulent claim for a credit for federal tax on fuels.

“Together, Luckner Stimphil and his daughter, Elwolfine Dufort, were responsible for preparing false tax returns that caused more than $11 million dollars in losses to the IRS, essentially stealing the tax dollars paid by honest Americans,” Special Agent in Charge Mary Hammond of IRS Criminal Investigation said.

“As unconscionable as that sounds, the damage did not stop there. Their actions upended the lives of their clients who now must sort out the mess caused by the false returns Stimphil and Dufort filed in their names. We plead with all taxpayers to do their due diligence in selecting a trustworthy and accredited return preparer.”

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