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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

SoCal Tax Preparer|Arrested on Tax Day

SAN DIEGO (CN) - A suburban San Diego tax preparer was arrested Monday and charged with stealing IDs from more than 200 people to get more than $1 million in fraudulent refunds from the IRS.

Arrested on Tax Day was Cynthia Lozano, 31, of Lemon Grove, who owned an operated CLozano Income Tax in Spring Valley. Both are suburbs of San Diego.

"Lozano targeted over 200 victims by filing fraudulent IRS Forms 1040 in the taxpayers' names," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement. "Frequently, the taxpayers were unaware that Lozano used their Social Security numbers thus also becoming victims of aggravated identity theft. As a result, Lozano improperly received over $1 million from the IRS in fraudulent refunds which she laundered through a bewildering maze of bank accounts.

"Using the proceeds of this fraud, Lozano, among other things, purchased 20 properties in and near Phoenix, Arizona."

A 33-count grand jury indictment seeks forfeiture of all those properties, among other things. She is charged with wire fraud, tax fraud, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

She was arrested in Phoenix, where she was to appear in court today, prosecutors said.

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