Tax return preparer admits to preparing fraudulent tax returns to tune of $801K

PROVIDENCE – A tax return preparer who worked at a city firm has admitted to preparing false individual income tax returns for clients, U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha said Friday.
Belkis M. Guzman, 48, of Cranston, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William E. Smith on Thursday to aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, wire fraud, theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft, according to a news release from Neronha.
Guzman worked at El Centro Multiservicios LLC in Providence. She admitted to preparing the false individual income tax returns for clients for tax years 2009 through 2011, and including false dependents, exemptions, tax credits, deductions or expenses.
Guzman admitted to depositing more than 100 fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury checks totaling more than $800,700 into her personal bank account, which were generated by the filing of false tax returns prepared by others. Guzman then distributed a portion of the proceeds to others, receiving a percentage of the negotiated checks as payment for depositing the checks into her account.

Guzman faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud count, 10 years in prison for each count of theft of government funds, three years in prison for each count of assisting in the preparation of false tax returns for clients and a mandatory two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft, as well as a period of supervised release and monetary penalties.
She will be sentenced Dec. 2.

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