Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 5-31-19

Features
Pastor, Daughter Sentenced In $11 Million Tax Fraud Scheme
West Tampa CRA Elects New Chairman, Vice Chairman
Last week, a federal judge sentenced a Tampa pastor and his daughter to serve time in prison. They were also court ordered to pay $11 million in restitution, and a $10,000 fine was imposed on them. They pleaded guilty in February.
District Judge Steven D. Merryday sentenced Luckner Stimphil, 55, of Brandon, to four years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to de- fraud the United States. His daughter, Elwolfine Du-
LUCKNER STIMPHIL
fort, 31, of Riverview, was sentenced to two years in
ELWOFINE DUFORT
federal prison for her role in the conspiracy.
The court also ordered Stimphil and Ms. Dufort to pay $11 million in restitu- tion, joint and several, to the United States and imposed a $10,000 fine against Stim- phil. Stimphil and Ms. Dufort had pleaded guilty in February 2019.
Stimphil and Ms. Du- fort have also agreed to be permanently stopped preparing or assisting in the preparation or filing of fed- eral tax returns or other re- lated documents for any other person or entity; from maintaining any association with a tax return preparation business; and from instruct- ing, teaching, or otherwise training any person in the preparation of federal tax re- turns.
According to court docu- ments, Stimphil, the then- pastor at First Calvary Family Life Ministry located on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Tampa, created and operated Top Popular Tax, a tax return preparation busi- ness with offices in Tampa, Winter Haven, and else- where.
The business operated from 2011 through at least mid-2015. There, Stimphil, his daughter, and other peo- ple working under Stim- phil’s supervision, routinely assisted in and advised clients in the preparation and presentation of tax forms to the IRS, which in- cluded materially false and fraudulent information.
Some of the information submitted on Forms 1040 also included a false and fraudulent claim for a credit for federal tax on fuels on Form 4136.
JOE ROBINSON ... Elected Chairman
Earlier this week, mem- bers of the West Tampa CRA Community Advisory Com- mittee elected new members. The meeting took place on Tuesday night.
The members selected Joe Robinson to serve as Chairman and Walter Smith, II, to serve as Vice Chairman. The election pe- riod is for two years. They were chosen by a unanimous votebyacorrumof7ofthe
WALTER SMITH, II
... Elected Vice Chairman
twelve-member Committee. Robinson said, “My goal is to get the money flowing to the community through vari-
ous programs.”
During the meeting the
Committee also approved two Juneteenth applications. One of the applications was for the Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coali- tion and the other with the West Tampa Alliance. Both events will take place during the month of June.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2019