Chenango County Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding IRS

BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Lavyette Anna Louisa Garcia, age 41, of Oxford, New York, pled guilty today to making a false claim against the United States and to assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James D. Robnett, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of IRS-Criminal Investigation.

As part of her guilty plea, Louisa Garcia admitted that she prepared tax returns for a fee while residing in Oxford and also Norwich, New York.  She admitted to preparing at least 110 false tax returns between 2011 and 2014, resulting in an intended loss to the United States of $848,196.

Louisa Garcia admitted to preparing a 2012 tax return for a customer that falsely claimed self-employment income and several tax credits. Lavyette Garcia also admitted to preparing a 2009 tax return for another customer that falsely claimed income and several tax credits.  These false returns caused the United States Treasury Department to issue refunds to which the taxpayers were not entitled.

Louisa Garcia faces up to 8 years in prison, post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years, and a maximum $250,000 fine, when she is sentenced on July 17, 2018 by Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.