RGV tax preparers convicted for $3M tax fraud scheme

Date: May 2, 2024

Contact: [email protected]

Three local sisters have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid and assist in the preparation of filing fraudulent tax returns to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Maria Lourdes Campos was the owner and operator of Campos Tax Service (CTS) located in the Rio Grande Valley for over 10 years. Employed at Campos Tax Service were Campos's two sisters, Elizabeth Romo and Gloria Romo.

With the sisters' assistance, most CTS clients fraudulently applied for and claimed either residential energy credits, business expenses or childcare credits. CTS employees did this to earn larger tax refunds for its clients. Once CTS employees completed the tax returns, they did not review the completed documents with their clients and only provided them with refund amounts or incomplete documents.

From 2018 to 2020, Campos Tax Service filed approximately 6,501 federal income tax returns which included over $5 million of residential energy credits.

The false and fraudulent filings between Campos, Elizabeth Romo and Gloria Romo resulted in a total sustained tax harm of $3,672,472.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton accepted the plea and set sentencing for Aug. 27. At that time, Campos and Elizabeth Romo face up to five years in federal prison while Gloria Romo faces up to three years in federal prison. Each also face a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

All were permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric D. Flores and Cahal P. McColgan are prosecuting the case.