ORLANDO, Fla. – Three tax preparers accused of fraudulently helping Central Florida customers obtain large income tax refunds have pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
A News 6 investigation in 2020 detailed complaints about Neighborhood Advance Tax, a now-defunct tax preparation service operating out of Central Florida strip malls that promised to get filers the “maximum refund.”
Former customers who paid the company up to $999 to prepare their income tax returns told News 6 they were later audited by the IRS and forced to pay back thousands of dollars in undeserved refunds.
Three owners and five employees of the tax preparation business were charged with federal offenses earlier this year.
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Prosecutors allege that the conspirators obtained excessive refunds for customers by fraudulently claiming tax deductions such as unreimbursed employee expenses and gifts to charity.
Tax preparers were trained not to disclose fraudulently prepared tax documents to customers, authorities claim.
Emmanuel Almonor, who prosecutors described as an owner of Neighborhood Advance Tax, has agreed to pay nearly $12.5 million to the IRS in restitution, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court.
Abryle De La Cruz, a former employee, recently pleaded guilty to the same federal charge and will repay the federal government nearly $3 million, court records show.
Another former employee, Kaylah Dacosta, has agreed to pay roughly a half million dollars in restitution as part of a plea agreement. The exact amount will be determined at sentencing early next year.
The three defendants face a maximum of five years in prison, but prosecutors said they will recommend lesser sentences as part of the plea agreements.
Company co-owners Franklin Carter, Jr. and Jonathan Carrillo, have pleaded not guilty to federal charges and are awaiting trial.
Former employees Diandre Mentor, Adon Hemley, and Isaiah Hayes have also entered pleas of not guilty.
The IRS offers advice on its website for choosing a qualified tax preparer.
The agency also warns against so-called “ghost” preparers who do not sign tax returns or fail to include a Preparer Tax Identification Number or PTIN.
If a tax preparer attempts to generate a larger refund by creating false exemptions or omitting income, the IRS encourages taxpayers to file a complaint.
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