PHOENIX- Last week, Elias Bermudez, 68, of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $131,651 in restitution to the United States.
Bermudez worked as a tax preparer in Arizona for over 20 years and owned a tax preparation and immigration services business called The Help Center (aka El Centro de Ayuda), which prepared approximately 3,000 to 4,000 income tax returns each year between 2007-2010. Bermudez admitted to filing fraudulent tax returns by including the Additional Child Tax Credit when he knew the credit didn’t apply. His fraudulent tax filings caused a loss to the United States of $131,651.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Andrew C. Stone and Bridget Minder, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-01301-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-016_Bermudez
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
