A tax preparation and immigration service business that previously operated with offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and other locations throughout Arizona has been charged with 27 counts of filing false information with the Internal Revenue Service.
 
The recently unsealed indictment in the U.S. District Court for Arizona claims that Elias Bermudez, who owned and operated El Centro de Ayuda, or "The Help Center," added a false number of dependents to his clients’ tax returns for the tax years 2010-2012 in order to maximize refundable credits under the Additional Child Tax Credit.
 
Bermudez will be arraigned in Phoenix October 18th at 10:00 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Bridget S. Bade.
 
Brian Watson, Special Agent for the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office, said those who contract a tax preparer are ultimately responsible for any mistakes made and should therefore choose wisely.