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February 14, 2020

Tax preparer admits filing false returns; costing IRS $899K

PHOTO | Pixabay.com
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

A Bridgeport tax preparer faces potential prison time for filing false returns for clients, including individuals and small businesses.

Veronica Huitzil, 39, pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport to one count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return.

Huitzil’s fraud caused the Internal Revenue Service to not collect $898,665 in tax revenue, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Federal sentencing guidelines call for her to receive 30 to 36 months of imprisonment and a fine of between $10,000 and $100,000, court documents show. Huitzil is free on bond pending her sentencing, scheduled for May 6. 

Any of her clients who have false information on their tax returns will have to file amended returns to the IRS, prosecutors said.

Huitzil is also expected to be ordered to pay $898,665 in restitution at her sentencing. This restitution amount may be reduced, depending on whether the government can recoup money from her clients who correct their returns and resolve their own tax liabilities.

Her business, Huitzil Tax Services, operates out of 2704 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, and has both English and Spanish-speaking customers. Huitzil is listed as principal of Huitzil Enterprises LLC, which was registered with the Secretary of the State’s office in 2014.

For the 2014 through 2018 tax years, Huitzil helped to prepare and file more than 3,781 federal tax returns, court documents show.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, many of these returns included false information. For example, some claimed dependents who weren’t actually dependents. Others included deductions for thousands of dollars in business losses for companies that didn’t exist. Some included inflated or fabricated medical expenses, charitable contributions and employee business expenses, prosecutors said.

Huitzil is being represented by Attorney James Glasser of Wiggin & Dana, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.

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