San Antonio Man Pleads Guilty To Fraudulent Income Tax Return Preparation

In San Antonio today, Richard Ortegon pleaded guilty to assisting in the preparation of a false U.S. Income Tax Returns which contained fraudulent deductions, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sarah Kull, Houston Field Office.

According to public records, the defendant owned and operated Aztec Tax Consulting Group, LLC and assisted clients in preparing their federal income tax returns.  On the tax returns he prepared and submitted to the IRS, Ortegon admittedly included false Residential Energy Credits and inflated expenses on Schedule A and Schedule C forms.  Specifically, on a client’s 2014 Individual Income Tax Return, Ortegon provided fraudulent figures--$8,092 in Residential Energy Credits and false expenses totaling $24,040.  Ortegon further admitted that the total tax due and owing attributed to the false income tax returns he prepared is approximately $75,000.

“As we approach Monday’s deadline to file your taxes, remember: Intentionally falsifying your tax return is a serious federal crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

“Most return preparer businesses are operating to ensure taxpayers are reporting to the IRS correctly.  Unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous return preparers that violate their customers’ trust to benefit financially from the preparation and filing of false tax returns,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Kull.  “IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to identifying these individuals that are exploiting our tax system for their personal gain.”

Ortegon faces up to three years in federal prison and restitution to the IRS.  Sentencing is scheduled for July 8, 2019.

Agents with the IRS—Criminal Investigation conducted this investigation.   Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean O’Connell is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.