Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (“IRS-CI”), announced today the arrest of LORENZO ALMANZAR for preparing fraudulent tax returns containing more than $400,000 in fraudulent deductions and making false statements to federal agents. ALMANZAR was presented in Manhattan federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Lorenzo Almanzar used his accounting skills to bilk the government of thousands of dollars. Almanzar now faces 30 counts of criminal tax charges, and the possibility of time behind bars.”
IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen said: “Well-intentioned taxpayers can be victimized by tax return preparers who mislead people into taking credits or deductions they aren’t entitled to in order to increase their fee or burnish their reputation. As Almanzar learned today when he was arrested, there are serious consequences for allegedly defrauding his clients. IRS-CI special agents are committed to identifying and prosecuting unscrupulous tax return preparers.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court[1]:
From 2014 through 2017, ALMANZAR owned and operated a business called Future International Corp. (“Future”) in the Bronx, New York, which purported to offer tax preparation services. As alleged in the Complaint, ALMANZAR prepared fraudulent returns that fabricated and falsely overstated various items, including, among other things, medical expenses, charitable expenses, and unreimbursed employee business expenses. Additionally, ALMANZAR made false statements to federal agents during the course of their investigation into those fraudulent returns.
ALMANZAR prepared multiple fraudulent tax returns containing more than $400,000 in fraudulent deductions, which resulted in a tax loss of at least $57,000.
ALMANZAR, 63, of White Plains, New York, is charged with 30 counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns, each of which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, and one count of making false statements to federal agents, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from IRS-CI. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod L. Schaeffer is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
