Owner of banned tax firm due in court

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- The former proprietor of a disgraced Rhode Island tax preparation firm is due in federal court next week -- on accusations he disobeyed a court order and continued to prepare tax returns after he was banned from the practice.

Michael Brier, the former owner of Refunds Now, is charged with contempt of court. Back in 2010, the Department of Justice filed a civil injunction lawsuit against him to stop his firm from preparing federal tax returns.

By 2011, he'd been barred from further operations: The government found Brier's company fabricated tax deductions and credits on at least 300 returns. Over the four-year period between 2003 and 2007, court documents alleged Brier's business prepared about 24,000 federal returns total.

Wednesday's arraignment session was rescheduled after Brier's lawyer, Robert Mann, had a family emergency. Brier is now due in court Jan. 31.