FORMER HUNTINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL OFFICIAL ARRESTED ON FEDERAL CHARGES STEMMING FROM KICKBACK SCHEME

FEDERAL COURT SHUTS DOWN UPLAND-BASED TAX PREPARER

LOS ANGELES – A federal court judge has issued an order that prohibits the operator of an Upland tax service from preparing federal income tax returns and other tax-related documents for clients.

In a permanent injunction filed Monday, Guillermo B. Garcia, the owner of B. Garcia Income Tax Services in Upland, was ordered to stop preparing tax returns for others.

United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II issued the permanent injunction at the request of the United States Attorney’s Office, which had alleged that Garcia prepared income tax returns that contained false or inflated expenses on Schedule A and Schedule C. Additionally, according to the Justice Department’s lawsuit, Garcia filed tax returns for clients that sought refunds that were greater than the tax returns actually signed by his clients, and that Garcia kept the extra money when the Internal Revenue Service issued refund checks.

Garcia submitted thousands of income tax returns over the past four years, and in 183 tax returns that were examined by the government, IRS auditors found that the returns understated taxes due by $784,238 – or approximately $4,300 per return.

“[I]f Guillermo B. Garcia violates this Judgment for Permanent Injunction, he may be subject to civil and criminal sanctions for contempt of court, including imprisonment,” Judge Wright said in his order.

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Release No. 11-014