Subject: Formal Complaint Against CPA Justin Kim…read more
Dear California State Board of Accountancy,
I am filing a formal complaint against CPA Justin Kim regarding unethical and potentially illegal business practices.
I have used Justin Kim's services for my 2022 and 2023 tax filings, during which I always paid in cash. However, despite making these cash payments, I never received a receipt.
In April 2024, Justin Kim did my personal tax filing and my first LLC tax filing. Justin Kim informed me that the LLC tax filing deadline was March 15 but stated that the first filing would be waived.
For both my personal and LLC tax filings, Justin Kim charged original $1,000 for LLC Filing fee but i did personal and llc together so he gave me discount (or possibly $950 or $800 in cash, according to my memory). Additionally, I paid $800 for the Franchise Tax Board fee, making my total payment either $1,600 or $1,750, all in cash. Although I felt uncomfortable handing over such a large amount, I trusted him since this was my second year using his services. Again, I did not receive a receipt.
This year, in 2025, I decided to switch CPAs due to high llc filing fees. My new CPA successfully completed my personal and LLC tax filings, as well as the Franchise Board $800 payment, through online transactions. However, upon reviewing my bank statement a week later, I noticed that my bank had processed three separate transactions: $800, $800, and $80.
When I contacted my new CPA, they informed me that my 2024 $800 Franchise Tax Board payment had not been made. Shocked by this, I immediately reached out to Justin Kim. When I asked about the missing payment, he denied ever receiving the $800 and, instead of addressing my concerns, became agitated and abruptly ended the call.
Following this, I sent three emails requesting receipts for the cash payments I made over the past two years, stating that if I did not receive them within 48 hours, I would file an official complaint. However, he has ignored all my requests.
Even if I am unable to recover the missing $800, I believe that a CPA should operate with honesty and transparency when handling financial transactions. Accepting cash payments without issuing receipts is unethical and illegal. Given these circumstances, I cannot trust Justin Kim with any financial matters, nor should others fall victim to the same situation.
For these reasons, I am formally reporting Justin Kim to prevent further harm to other individuals, particularly within the Korean business community, where cash transactions are commonly used. I hope that appropriate action will be taken to address this matter.
Sincerely,
Edward Park