Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh announced today his Consumer protection Division has reached a settlement with California-based National Tax Experts, Inc. and Patrick Oakes, the company’s owner. The settlement provides restitution to Maryland consumers, imposes civil penalties, and permanently bans the company from providing tax debt relief services to Maryland consumers. The Division alleged in its Statement of Charges that National Tax Experts sent deceptive advertisements to Marylanders that were intended to appear as if they were sent by a Maryland court and falsely warned consumers that their assets were facing imminent seizure. In fact, the mailers were from National Tax Experts and were designed to induce consumers to hire the company to help settle their outstanding tax debts.