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Las Vegas tax preparer pleads guilty to filing false tax returns

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Posted at 5:35 PM, Dec 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-03 20:36:25-05

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas tax preparer pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to preparing and filing fraudulent tax returns on behalf of her clients (which caused a total tax loss of at least $1,500,000).

This was announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan of the IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Baby Vasquez Beltran, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return. U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 4, 2021.

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According to court documents and admissions Beltran made in court, since at least 2008, she operated Speed Refund Tax Services, a tax return preparation business in Las Vegas. When preparing her clients’ tax returns, Beltran fraudulently claimed deductions to which her clients were not entitled.

In total, for tax years 2012 through 2016, Beltran caused at least $1,500,000 in a tax loss to the IRS.

The maximum statutory penalty faced by Beltran is three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez is prosecuting the case.