Tucson Tax Return Preparer Sentenced To Prison For False Return Scheme

TUCSON, Ariz. – On Feb. 3, 2014, Margarita Gomez, 32, of Tucson, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Jarvey to 30 months imprisonment.  Gomez pleaded guilty to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue Laws. Gomez was also ordered to pay $200,408 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Gomez operated a tax return preparation service (M & M Tax Service) in Tucson, Ariz., and conducted a scheme to obtain, and to aid others to obtain, the payment of more than $200,000 in federal tax refunds from the IRS through the preparation and filing of federal individual income tax returns that contained false refund claims.  Gomez admitted to soliciting clients who did not have legal status to work or reside in the United States, preparing false W-7 Forms, and manufacturing other fraudulent documentation.  Gomez also intentionally filed clients' federal individual income tax returns without signing the tax returns as the paid tax return preparer and directed certain federal income tax refunds issued to her clients to be transmitted to either her personal bank account or to a mail drop over which she had control. 

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Mary Sue Feldmeier, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson, and Danny N. Roetzel, Trial Attorney, Department of Justice, Tax Division.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-13-00621-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER:   2014-008_Gomez

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/