An Arizona tax preparer has been charged with diverting thousands of dollars’ worth of his clients’ tax refunds to his own bank account.
Victor Paul Vasquez, 38, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was arrested and charged with three counts of conversion of government property in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing in federal court.
The indictment alleges that on three occasions in 2006 and 2007, Vasquez arranged to have tax refunds for his clients deposited into a bank account he controlled. Each of the refunds exceeded $4000.
Vasquez faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge if convicted.
