Four San Angelo tax preparers have been charged with scamming the IRS, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
Hugo Cesar Granados, the 60-year-old manager of Columbia Tax Service, his adult daughter, Blanca L. Granados, his adult son, Hugo Alberto Granados, and his employee, Saul Garcia-Soto, were indicted on April 14, 2021, with conspiracy to defraud the United States and several counts each of aiding in the preparation of false documents.
According to the indictment, the elder Mr. Granados and his co-conspirators falsified their clients’ individual income tax returns, Forms 1040, in order to inflate the clients’ tax refunds. As a member of the IRS’ Refund Transfer Program, Columbia Tax Service did not charge the taxpayers anything upfront, but took their preparation fee from the refund before the remainder was issued to the taxpayer.
Mr. Granados created a training manual that instructed his employees how to file fraudulent tax returns.
Mr. Granados and his co-conspirators allegedly fabricated clients’ Schedule A, itemized deductions, and Schedule C, sole proprietorship profit and loss statements. They routinely claimed the taxpayer owned a business when no such business existed, claimed unreimbursed employee expenses such as travel and per diem, and claimed business expenses related to maintenance, utilities, supplies, insurance, and professional services that were never incurred.
From 2013 to 2017, the conspirators submitted numerous fraudulent tax returns, resulting in an estimated $18 million in tax losses to the government.
Hugo Cesar Granados, Blanca Granados, and Hugo Alberto Granados surrendered themselves to IRS – Criminal Investigations and U.S. Marshals on Thursday afternoon. Saul Garcia-Soto remains a fugitive.
If convicted, Hugo Cesar Granados faces up to 14 years in federal prison; Blanca Granados faces up to 14 years; Hugo Alberto Granados faces up to 17 years; and Saul Garcia-Soto faces up to 20 years.
Related Federal Cases
- James Pavlounis, Social Security Administration Fraud and Tax Evasion, California 2023 · Texas
- Craig J. Schexnaider, Tax Evasion, Beaumont TX, 2023 · Texas
- Karen McGinnis, Tax Theft, Mountain Top PA, 2023-2025 · Texas
- Tren de Aragua Leaders Unsealed, Terror Cartel Crimes, Texas, 2023 · Nebraska
- Eduardo Ravelo, Racketeering Conspiracy, Texas 2013 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News