RIVERTON, Ill. (WAND) - A Riverton tax preparer has been indicted and accused of preparing and filing false tax returns for 20 clients for tax years 2015 and 2016.
Police said Jason Hines diverted $106,033 in false federal refund claims to his personal use without his clients' knowledge.
Police said he submitted false claims on clients' tax returns to claim higher refunds.
He is accused of showing some clients "preview" copies of their return with lower refunds.
He allegedly reported losses associated with the sale of business vehicles, false business income and expense amounts, and falsely claimed education credits.
Police said he then diverted a significant amount of the refunds to bank accounts he controlled to use for himself.
He is also charged with wire fraud related to returns filed with the Illinois Department of Revenue.
Police said Hines caused a loss of $30,440 to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
