Philadelphia Tax Preparer Admits To $915K Tax Fraud: Feds

PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia-based tax preparer recently admitted to tax fraud that resulted in more than $914,000 in losses to the IRS, federal authorities said.

Federal authorities said Jose Santiago, 48, of Philadelphia pleaded guilty to six counts of preparing false income tax returns.

Santiago owned and operated Santiago Tax Service in Philadelphia.

While running the business, Santiago prepared and filed numerous fraudulent tax returns.

Authorities said inflated his clients’ unreimbursed employee business expenses and charitable donations; causing his clients to receive tax refunds that they were not entitled to.

In total, Santiago created a roughly $914,635 loss to the IRS.

Santiago is slated to be sentenced on March 19, 2020.

He faces a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution in the amount of $914,635.