Burley Tax Woman Makes Guilty Plea for False Tax Returns

BURLEY, Idaho (KLIX)- A Burley woman entered a guilty plea for preparing false income tax returns on Tuesday.

According to U.S. Attorney Wendy Olsen, Cruz “Kelly” Chacon, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of assisting, advising, and counseling clients to submit materially false federal income tax returns to the IRS through her business “Kelly’s Tax Service.”

In the agreement it says the IRS estimates that between 2008 and 2011 Chacon and some of her employees submitted more thant 2,500 federal falsified income tax returns. The U.S. Attorney’s office says Chacon and her employees would file returns that claimed the child tax credit for taxpayers, who often times didn’t qualify for the credit. Chacon will have to pay $81,384.00 in restitution.

“Those who intentionally submit falsified income tax returns to the IRS victimize all taxpayers because we all share the costs of paying for the improper tax refunds,” said Olson.

“We will continue to work closely with the IRS to root out this illegal activity, especially where a tax preparation business assists individuals in breaking the law.”

“Choose carefully when hiring a tax preparer and avoid tax preparers who claim they can obtain larger refunds than other preparers,” said Stephen Boyd, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge for the State of Idaho.