A Santa Maria bookkeeper has pleaded not guilty after being indicted on federal charges of identity theft, filing fraudulent tax returns and loan applications, and then lying about it to federal investigators.
On May 17, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Imelda Sanchez, 39, of Nipomo, had been arrested after a nearly four-year joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sanchez pleaded not guilty to all counts at her arraignment the following day at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles and was released on $65,000 bond.
The 18-page indictment filed May 11 claims Sanchez prepared fraudulent tax returns in the names of several individuals without their consent in order to secure tax refunds from the IRS. Sanchez is suspected of claiming income the individuals did not earn, and listing numerous family members who were not actually dependents of the individuals to maximize
the returns.
According to the indictment, Sanchez allegedly filed the bogus returns on eight separate occasions under the name of three unidentified individuals, claiming nearly $28,000 in federal income tax returns, but didn’t specify to whom that money went.
Prosecutors have also charged Sanchez with three counts of identity theft, alleging she stole the individuals’ identities using their names and Social Security numbers.
In addition, Sanchez is being charged with two counts of providing false information to local Santa Lucia Bank employees in an effort to secure a $1.6 million loan to build a house in Nipomo, and another similar loan in 2009 to pay off the original loan.
The indictment further alleges that on two separate occasions in late 2007, Sanchez lied to FBI agents about drafting fictitious verification of employment letters at the request of loan officers, and then lying about communications with a specific loan officer.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Stern, the lead prosecutor in the case, Sanchez might have had help from complacent loan officers, though Stern said he could not comment further. No other charges had been filed as of press time.
“Based on the plain face of the indictment, it would appear there might be an issue with loan officers,“ Stern told the Sun. “But as of right now, we’re considering Ms. Sanchez the principle person in this case.”
Numerous calls to Sanchez’s business went unanswered as of press time.
According to a television advertisement for Imelda Sanchez Bookkeeping and Tax Service, which is off the 700 block of East Main Street in Santa Maria, the business offers income tax and payroll preparation, sales tax returns, electronic filings, and notary services.
Sanchez is set to stand trial July 12. If convicted of all counts listed in the indictment, Sanchez could face a statutory maximum sentence of more than 200 years in federal prison, and up to $7.5 million in fines.
This article appears in May 26 – Jun 2, 2011.
