| In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors. |
San Diego tax preparer pleads guilty to felony charges
Tuesday April 15, 2003SAN DIEGO (AP) A Chula Vista tax preparer who allegedly failed to state income she made by preparing taxes for others pleaded guilty Tuesday to two felony charges, federal officials said.
Francisca Bray-Lugo, 57, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to counts charging her with filing a false income tax return and aiding in the preparation of a false tax return, said U.S. Attorney Carol Lam.
Authorities said Bray-Lugo intentionally filed a false income tax return that omitted more than $24,000 in taxable income she earned as a tax preparer.
Bray-Lugo also prepared a federal tax return for a client claiming more than $14,000 in false deductions, authorities said.
In addition, Bray-Lugo admitted to preparing at least 73 individual income tax returns from 1998 to 2001 that contained materially false information, costing the government $200,000 in lost taxes, Lam said.
Bray-Lugo faces up to six years in prison and a $200,000 fine at her sentencing, which was scheduled for July 22.
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