SCRANTON – Leidi M. Paulino, a 46-year-old tax preparer and owner of LP Multiservices in Freeland, PA, was sentenced to 24 months in prison on January 19. The sentence, imposed by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley, also includes a one-year term of supervised release. Paulino’s conviction is for aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns, which illegitimately claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in education credits.
United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam detailed that between 2019 and 2020, Paulino prepared and filed numerous false tax returns for clients. These returns falsely claimed education tax credits, including the American opportunity tax credit, for clients who were predominantly not enrolled in any college. The fraudulent activity caused significant financial losses to the government, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In addition to her prison term, Paulino has been ordered to pay restitution of $888,377.00 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).