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Brevard County tax preparer accused of stealing trade secrets

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A Brevard County tax preparer is accused of stealing trade secrets from a financial management business and using the information to open her own business.

Records show Theresa Zorn worked as a subcontractor during the 2016 tax season at Roth Financial in Merritt Island.

Investigators say Zorn took client lists with personal information and then tried to lure the clients to her own tax business. The lists included client names, addresses and even Social Security numbers.

Scroll to keep reading how many clients were affected.

Officials told Channel 9’s Jeff Deal more than 700 clients were affected.

Clients complained when they started receiving fliers in the mail from Zorn’s new business.

A check of Roth Financial’s records uncovered that Zorn has printed three different lists containing personal tax information for clients.

Zorn bonded out of jail on Friday.

Deal went to Zorn’s business and home to get a comment, but no one answered the door at either place.

Zorn is facing charges for stealing trade secrets and for illegally possessing personal information for other people.

Jeff Deal

Jeff Deal, WFTV.com

I joined the Eyewitness News team as a reporter in 2006.