For State Rep. Pleads guilty to tax fraud

December 18, 2015 4:30 pm

By New Staff

news@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Former State Representative Leon F. Tejada, pleaded guilty on Friday to federal tax fraud and wire fraud charges.

Tejada (50), operates El Centro Multiservicios, LLC, a tax preparation service in Providence.

According to court documents, Tejada admitted that from 2009 through 2012, he falsified clients’ exemptions, tax credits, deductions, and other expenses, in order to increase the amount of his client’s tax refund. He also admits his clients had no knowledge of this.

The agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation confirmed that the tax fraud scheme resulted in a loss of $54,440 to the United States.

Tejada created a scheme to send some of his clients’ tax refunds to a bank clearing house, where a portion of the funds were transferred into his own bank account for his own personal use. The investigation revealed he diverted $24,987 to his account.

Tejada, has been released on unsecured bond, and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court on March 10, 2016.