Crime Pays, But Tax Return Preparer’s Scheme Fails
A Camas, Washington tax return preparer, who now resides in Vancouver, Washington, pleaded guilty to assisting in filing false tax documents in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.
Paula Odia, 43, prepared more than 50 fraudulent tax returns between 2011 and 2016, resulting in a tax loss to the U.S. estimated between $250,000 and $550,000. Odia’s clients were unaware she had falsified their tax returns or that she directed a portion of their tax refund to her bank account or to accounts belonging to members of her family.
According to records filed in the case, Odia prepared federal income taxes for customers from her Camas home. Clients would bring Odia their records, and she would prepare and file their taxes. In 2011, Odia began claiming illegitimate deductions and credits in her clients’ tax returns, reducing their tax obligations and increasing the tax refund.
Odia diverted a portion of the refund to bank accounts she or members of her family controlled. When providing copies of the tax returns to clients, these copies did not reflect what Odia actually filed with the IRS, so the clients would not see that some of the refund had been directed to Odia’s accounts.
Assisting in filing false tax documents is punishable by up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $100,000 fine. As part of her plea agreement, Odia has agreed to pay restitution to the U.S. for the tax loss determined by the court.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Odia’s sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2018.
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
