Anna Andrade was sentenced today to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay $63,296.00 in restitution for tax fraud; violating Title 18, U.S.C. §§287 and 2, False, Fictitious and Fraudulent Claims Against the United States, a Class C Felony offense, as charged in Count 8 of the Indictment, which was filed May 3, 2005.
In December of 2000, while residing Casa Grande, Andrade with others developed a plan to commit tax fraud using false names U.S Post Office boxes and prepare false tax returns to obtain fraudulent Federal Income Tax refunds.
Andrade admitted as part of the plea agreement that she rented more than one U.S. P.O. Box to receive the fraudulent refund checks generated by the returns she prepared. Andrade aided taxpayers to create false W-2s to inflate the amount of money withheld from the taxpayer resulting in fraudulent refunds. She acknowledged that, during the period of the conspiracy charged in the indictment, false refunds totaled $63,296.
“Criminals involved in these bogus tax refund schemes are stealing from the government and increasing the burden for honest taxpayers. Our agency will always make these cases a top priority,” said Brian Watson Special Agent Internal Revenue Service.
The 2005 indictment, was filed against Andrade, Salvador Ramos Mariel, and Jose Jesus Mariel Barajas. It included 29 counts for the period 1997 through 2001. During this time the group created a total 327 individual returns amounting to $384,498 in fraudulent claims..
Andrade acknowledged that pleading guilty to these charges may have adverse consequences to her immigration status. The judge outlined terms of probation, but noted in the sentencing paperwork “if you are deported, you shall not re-enter the United States without legal authorization.” Removal and other immigration consequences are the subject of a separate hearing which could result in the automatic removal of Andrade from the United States.