Lawrence Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns

BOSTON – A Lawrence tax preparer pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Boston in connection with filing false tax returns with the IRS resulting in over $220,000 in fraudulent refunds.

Leonidas Nunez, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims and six counts of filing false, fictitious or fraudulent claims with the IRS. 

From October 2010 to April 2011, Nunez conspired with others to defraud the IRS by presenting false income tax returns.  The fraudulent returns falsely alleged income earned by Puerto Rican residents who had not had federal income tax withheld and who were not required to file income tax returns in the United States.  Nunez and his co-conspirators caused the IRS to deposit the resulting fraudulent refunds into bank accounts controlled by Nunez and his co-conspirators.  Together, they filed over 100 fraudulent returns with the IRS for tax year 2010, resulting in over $550,000 in fraudulent claims and over $220,000 in refunds.

The charge of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  The charge of filing false claims provides a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Manny J. Muriel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Fisher of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit.