Rigoberto Cabrera, 37, and Carlos Perez, 34, both of Miami-Dade County, Fla., were recently charged with involvement in a tax preparation fraud scheme.
According to the indictment, Cabrera and Perez offered to prepare individuals’ tax returns in exchange for a percentage of the refunds they received. Cabrera and Perez then prepared fraudulent 2008 and 2009 federal tax returns on the individuals’ behalf, claiming credits and deductions to which the individuals weren’t entitled, and collected a percentage of the refunds through checks made out to shell companies.
The indictment claims that Cabrera and Perez claimed approximately $1,458,905 in tax refunds through this scheme.
Cabrera and Perez have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Cabrera has also been charged with 18 counts of making false claims to the IRS, four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of money laundering. Perez has also been charged with 11 counts of making false claims to the IRS and two counts of wire fraud.
If convicted, Cabrera faces up to 380 years in prison, and Perez faces up to 180 years in prison.
