Las Vegas tax preparer sentenced for causing nearly $3M in tax loss

A Las Vegas woman was sentenced Monday to one year and one day in prison for preparing fraudulent tax returns and causing nearly $3 million in tax loss to the IRS.

Anita Edoria Santa Ana, 61, prepared fraudulent tax returns while operating businesses Santana Tax Service and Silver Income Tax LLC, according to federal court documents.

For tax years 2012 to 2018, she falsified clients’ tax returns by claiming deductions and exemptions they were not entitled to, such as false charitable donations, false unreimbursed business expenses and false moving expenses.

In total, Santa Ana caused a tax loss of at least $2.9 million to the IRS.

“She harmed both her clients — who remain responsible for paying the correct amount due and owing for each of these tax years — and the people of the United States as a whole,” Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress of IRS Criminal Investigation said in a statement.

Santa Ana pleaded guilty in March to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return.

In addition to imposing the prison term, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey sentenced Santa Ana to one year of supervised release.

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @ByBrianaE on Twitter.