WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | O'burg Sheriff's Office conducting inquiry into tax business

O'burg Sheriff's Office conducting inquiry into tax business

By Jody Barr - | email

ORANGEBURG, SC (WIS) - Sheriff's investigators say they're conducting an inquiry into an Orangeburg business.

The look comes after claims that the business charged a fee to file forms to join a farmer's federal lawsuit.

William Gilmore runs Gilmore Tax Service, a tax business that's called Santee home for more than 30 years.

About three weeks ago, Gilmore says hundreds of people started showing up at his office looking for help.

"Someone from James Clyburn's office had sent them here for the registration of an application to be eligible for the black farmer's settlement," said Gilmore.

The settlement comes from a decades-old discrimination suit against the USDA of alleged racial discrimination in granting loans to black farmers.

The settlement pays out $50,000 for legitimate cases.

Congress approved another $100 million this summer to settle outstanding claims. This time, a federal judge ordered no fees to be collected in filing claims.

"We did not charge a fee, this was a donation," said Gilmore.

Gilmore says he filed nearly 100 questionnaires in three days last month. He says he accepted donations when he filled out the forms.

The money he says went to cover his copier and mailing fees. Accusations that he charged a $25 fee was a set up.

"There are other people in the area who have gotten these applications and using the name of Gilmore Tax Service that have made $10,000 - $15,000 and we had one or two people that have brought checks back with my name on them," said Gilmore.

Gilmore says he was only helping his community, and trying to cover his costs along the way.

"There's a difference between a liberal donation for running a copy from my office as a private contractor versus charging for that Pigford farm," said Gilmore.

The Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office says they're conducting an inquiry right now, not a formal investigation.

Congressman Jim Clyburn's office says it has no dealings with Gilmore and never sent anyone to his office.

A Columbia attorney handling claims in the Pigford suit says he's informed the federal judge in the case about the situation in Santee.

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