By: Richard L. Smith
A New Jersey tax preparer faces federal charges for allegedly falsifying tax returns and fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal officials said Anne Bonilla, also known as “Anne Davinovish,” 53, of Linden was indicted on 16 counts, including 13 of preparing false tax returns, one of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two of wire fraud.
Bonilla pleaded not guilty during her arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.
According to the indictment, Bonilla, operating through Anne Accounting Services Inc., prepared at least 46 fraudulent tax returns, inflating expenses to secure approximately $340,000 in improper tax refunds for her clients.
She also allegedly used a conspirator’s personal information to create fraudulent Employer Identification and Electronic Filer Identification Numbers.
These were tied to tax filings that resulted in over $790,000 in federal refunds, including more than $100,000 linked to Bonilla and her associates.
In addition to the tax schemes, Bonilla and a co-conspirator submitted fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) in 2020, obtaining $241,200 in COVID-19 relief funds from the Small Business Administration.
One application was filed under another individual’s name to conceal their involvement, but investigators later traced it back to Bonilla.
If convicted, Bonilla faces significant penalties. Each count of filing false tax returns carries up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while the wire fraud-related charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 or twice the financial loss caused by the fraud.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to crack down on tax fraud and abuse of pandemic relief programs.