The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today announced that a Bronx tax preparer has pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony.

Cruz D. Acevedo, 49, of 2115 Washington Avenue, was arrested last year and charged with preparing and filing personal income tax returns that reported fictitious expenses to fraudulently increase the amount of the tax refund.

She was also charged with stealing tax refunds. An investigation by the Tax Department’s Criminal Investigations Division uncovered the fact that Acevedo, who prepared tax returns under the business name Nostra Tax Services, was asked by two clients to directly deposit the tax refunds into a bank account. Instead, the defendant used both refunds to create prepaid debit cards for herself.

Under the terms of the plea, she will make a total restitution of nearly $14,500 to the victims of her fraud scheme and to NYS. In addition, she is no longer allowed to legally prepare and file tax returns.

“Tax preparers who blatantly betray the trust of their clients, stealing from them and New York State, will be held accountable,” said Acting Commissioner Nonie Manion. “We will continue to work with all levels of law enforcement to aggressively pursue these unscrupulous preparers.”

For guidance, read this NYS Tax Department’s webpage: Four questions to ask before hiring a tax preparer.

The case was prosecuted by the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office and Assistant District Attorney Christopher Regan.

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said, "This defendant stole refunds from people who trusted her as their tax preparer, and she also filed tax returns with fictitious expenses to cheat the government. We will not tolerate such fraud."

If you're aware of a tax preparer who has engaged in illegal or improper conduct, you can file a tax preparer complaint online or contact the NYS Tax Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility at (518) 530-HELP (option #2). The information is kept confidential. The Tax Department takes this type of illegal activity seriously, promptly reviews each complaint, and takes corrective action when appropriate.