Union County Tax Preparer Accused Of Falsifying Tax Returns For Clients

LINDEN, NJ — A tax preparer from Union County was charged in a 16-count indictment for falsifying tax returns to increase refunds for clients and defrauding COVID-19 relief programs for small businesses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Anne Bonilla, aka "Anne Davinovish," 53, of Linden, is charged by indictment with 13 counts of procuring, counseling, and advising in the preparation and filing of false tax returns; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and two counts of wire fraud.

Bonilla was arraigned in Newark federal court on Monday and pleaded not guilty.

Bonilla was a tax preparer at Anne Accounting Services Inc. who created fraudulent tax returns on behalf of multiple clients by falsifying various expenses and requesting higher tax credits and higher refunds than the clients were entitled to receive, according to the indictment.

Bonilla prepared at least 46 fraudulent tax returns that caused around $340,000 in refunds to which the taxpayers were not entitled, according to the indictment.

Bonilla also helped a conspirator to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Electronic Filer Identification Number (EFIN) using the conspirator’s personal identifying information, according to the indictment.

The fraudulent EIN was associated with tax returns that received more than $195,000 in federal refunds for tax year 2023, and the fraudulent EFIN was associated with tax returns that received more than $595,000 in federal refunds for tax year 2023, including tax refunds totaling more than $100,000 in the names (including variations of the names) of Bonilla and her associates.

In June 2020, Bonilla and a conspirator submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) application, which resulted in the Small Business Administration (SBA) paying $110,000 in COVID-19 related proceeds, according to the indictment.

In July 2020, Bonilla and the conspirator submitted another fraudulent EIDL application, which resulted in the SBA paying $131,200 in COVID-19 related proceeds, according to the indictment.

The July 2020 application was submitted under another person’s name to conceal the involvement of Bonilla and her conspirator, but authorities were able to link the July 2020 application back to Bonilla.

Bonilla also sent a lender altered bank statements in connection with the purchase of real property in Florida, according to the indictment.

Each of the 13 counts of procuring, counseling, and advising in the preparation and filing of false tax returns carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each count of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.

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