LAS VEGAS, Nev. - A Las Vegas tax preparer was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 12 months and one day in federal prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for falsely inflating deductions in his clients’ tax returns and underreporting taxable income (and claiming false expenses) in his own tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan of the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Collectively, the false tax returns caused approximately $265,000 in losses to the IRS.
William Pamintuan Craig, 60, pleaded guilty on Oct. 28, 2019, to making and subscribing a false tax return. According to court documents, since at least 2012, Craig operated a tax return preparation business in Las Vegas. When preparing his own tax returns, Craig concealed the actual revenue from his tax preparation business and claimed false work expenses. He underreported his taxable income for tax years 2012 to 2017 by a total of approximately $439,000, causing $143,237 in tax loss to the IRS. Craig also fraudulently claimed false “deductions" in his clients’ tax returns. Between 2012 and 2017, Craig caused at least $128,000 in tax loss by filing false returns for his clients.
In addition to imprisonment and supervised release, the court also ordered Craig to pay $143,237 in restitution to the IRS.
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez prosecuted the case.
If you suspect a tax preparer or tax preparation business is not complying with the U.S. tax laws, complete and submit a with the IRS. More information about reporting suspected tax fraud activity may be found at https://www.irs.gov/.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
