BY: ADI NEWS SERVICES OCTOBER 7, 2017
Elias Bermudez, founder of Immigrants Without Borders and owner of El Centro de Ayuda, a tax preparation and immigration service was charged on October 3 with 27 counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns.
Bermudez’s arraignment set for October 18, 2017 at 10:00 a.m., in Phoenix before Magistrate Judge Bridget Bade.
Bermudez had El Centro de Ayuda (The Help Center) offices in Phoenix and Tucson.
The government alleges “that for the tax years 2010 through 2012, Bermudez prepared and 22 filed tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) on behalf of individuals that contained false information. Specifically, Bermudez added a false number of dependents to his clients’ returns in order to maximize refundable credits under the Additional Child Tax Credit.”
Allegedly “Bermudez’s clients, at his direction, listed dependents on their tax returns who did not meet the IRS’ s qualifications, including listing dependents who lived in Mexico and not with the taxpayer, and dependents who had not received half of their financial support from the taxpayer. For example, Bermudez encouraged his clients to list family members living in Mexico, many of whom were not the taxpayer’s children or dependents, as dependents on the taxpayer’s tax returns,” according to the indictment.