Broward Tax Prep Firm's Executives Sentenced For Fraud
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami/AP) — The former president and vice president of the Broward tax preparation firm Luxury Tax Inc. have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a $2 million tax fraud and identity theft operation.
A federal judge on Friday sentenced 29-year-old Camilla Gonzalez to more than eight years in prison. Co-defendant Patricia Alcime, also 29, got nearly eight years behind bars.
Court documents show that the pair filed more than 700 fraudulent tax returns in 2011 using personal information from identity theft victims.
In total, Gonzalez filed 621 fraudulent 2010 tax returns on behalf of unsuspecting identity theft victims, claiming $1,738,639.00 in fraudulent refunds. The IRS subsequently paid out $1,858,386.00 in refunds directly to accounts under her control. Alcime filed at least 92 fraudulent 2010 tax returns claiming $222,652.00 in fraudulent refunds. The IRS subsequently paid out $203,831.00 in refunds into accounts controlled by Gonzalez and Alcime or loaded onto debit cards.
They were also ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution to the U.S. government and forfeit more than $500,000 in their bank accounts.
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