LANCASTER, Pa. — Police in Lancaster County have charged a Cumberland County woman with fraudulent business practices and theft by deception for allegedly taking more than $1,600 from a client at her tax preparation business and failing to deliver the service she was paid for.
Tiffany Ann Mixell, 30, of Mechanicsburg, was charged after an investigation by Manheim Township Police.
According to investigators, on Jan. 6, Mixell provided an estimate to the victim, who agreed to pay her two installments of $820 to prepare and filed their taxes. The victim made the payments on January 9 and February 24, according to police.
Mixell promised to have all the services completed by February 28, signing a contract that stated she would have the victim's 2022 personal taxes prepared and filed in a "timely" manner, police said.
The victim discovered their taxes were prepared incorrectly and alerted Mixell to correct the error, but Mixell made "no legitimate attempt" to rectify the mistake so that her client's taxes could be filed promptly on April 18, when they were due, police claim.
Police claim Mixell ultimately stopped responding to the victim's requests to fix the problem, and failed to file the victim's third- and fourth-quarter payroll taxes.
Mixell allegedly charged the victim for seven services, but only delivered on four, and did not return the money for the services she did not render, according to police. The victim was forced to obtain services from a second tax preparer, who redid their 2022 Personal Returns correctly, according to police.
The victim requested Mixell return the documents but has not obtained them. The total amount paid by the victim for returns, either unprepared and/or prepared incorrectly and late, is $760, according to police.
A criminal complaint was filed, and an arrest warrant was obtained. Mixell remains a wanted person at this time, according to police. Anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts is asked to contact Manheim Township Police at (717) 569-6401 or submit a tip online.
