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In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors.
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San Diego tax preparer pleads guilty to felony charges
Tuesday April 15, 2003
SAN 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.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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