BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bakersfield tax preparer Victor Cruz has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his involvement in a massive tax fraud scheme.
Cruz helped prepare and file more than 500 fraudulent tax returns that claimed $25 million in refunds.
He worked with Miguel Martinez, who created fake businesses and reported phony wages to the IRS.
The scheme ran from 2019 to 2023, and the IRS paid out $2.3 million before catching the fraud.
Martinez, who led the operation, was sentenced to six years in prison last September.
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