Rio Rico tax preparer, assistant sentenced to prison

Two Arizona women, Imelda Arredondo, 37, of Rio Rico, and Yadira Moreno, 35, of Nogales, were sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false federal income tax returns. Moreno was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment. Arredondo, who also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment for conspiring with Moreno to defraud the government and a consecutive two-year term of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft.

Arredondo, a tax return preparer in Rio Rico, filed false individual federal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service for the tax years 2008 through 2010 which included false refunds in the amount of at least $186,561. Arredondo used her clients’ tax returns to file and receive the inflated federal tax refunds by falsely inflating her clients’ wages, adding false dependents, and using a false filing status all without her clients’ knowledge or permission. Moreno, Arredondo’s sister, was her tax preparation assistant.

Arredondo was ordered to pay $191,702 in restitution, including $172,353 to the U.S. Treasury. Moreno was ordered to pay $113,213 in restitution, including $93,864.47 to the U.S. Treasury.