Tax Preparer to Plead Guilty to Tax and Wire Fraud

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – According to an information and plea agreement filed today in U.S. District Court in Providence, Leon F. Tejada, 50, of Providence, operator of El Centro Multiservicios, LLC, a tax preparation service in Providence, has agreed to plead guilty to federal tax and wire fraud charges, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation.

According to the court documents, it is alleged that during tax years 2009 through 2012, Tejada, without the knowledge of his clients, created and falsified clients’ dependents, exemptions, tax credits, deductions and expenses in order to increase the amount of tax refund due to the clients. It is alleged that the scheme resulted in a loss to the United States of $54,440.

It is also alleged that Tejada devised a scheme to divert his clients’ tax refunds through a bank clearing house, at which time, without the knowledge of his clients, a portion of the funds were diverted into his own bank account for his own personal use. It is alleged that Tejada diverted $24,987 into his own bank account.

An information is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The matter was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Rose.

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