Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 | 4:22 p.m.
A Las Vegas woman has been charged with tax fraud after she allegedly prepared and filed false income tax returns for clients of her tax preparation business, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
A federal grand jury on Wednesday charged Jessica Avras with 31 counts of assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns, the attorney’s office said. If convicted, she could face a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of tax fraud.
From 2015 to 2020 at a tax preparation business she owned and operated, Avras allegedly prepared and filed false federal income tax returns for clients that fraudulently reduced federal income tax liability or inflated tax refunds.
Avras’ indictment alleges she reported fictitious businesses on her clients’ returns — claiming they generated significant losses — and fabricated deductions on clients’ tax returns, such as noncash charitable contributions, sales taxes and unreimbursed employee expenses.
Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Justice Department Tax Division Trial Attorneys Thomas Flynn and Samuel Robins and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Schmale are prosecuting.
Avras is slated to appear in court Feb. 22.
