Vancouver tax preparer Keith Altamirano, 52, received an 18-month federal prison sentence for preparing false and fraudulent tax returns, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington on Dec. 19.
Altamirano pleaded guilty to 16 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. From 2017 to 2021, he operated Integrity Investments LLC, doing business as Servicios Latinos, and prepared approximately 12,000 tax returns. A statistical analysis estimated his fraudulent practices caused more than $5 million in losses to the U.S. Treasury, the release stated.
Court records show Altamirano falsified client returns by listing fabricated medical expenses, charitable donations, vehicle depreciation and inflated business expenses. Prosecutors said clients did not know about the fraud and believed Altamirano prepared their returns legally…