Las Vegas accountant pleads guilty to tax evasion charges

A Las Vegas tax return preparer has pleaded guilty to multiple crimes that caused a tax loss of nearly $3.5 million, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Michael Sandoval pleaded guilty Monday to one count of tax evasion, one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return and one count of making and subscribing a false tax return.

According to the department, Sandoval used his business, Nevada Financial Solutions Inc., to commit the crimes. Sandoval was responsible for helping individuals and companies with their payroll and preparing their taxes.

When some of his clients submitted $471,178 to be forwarded to the IRS, Sandoval instead kept the money and spent it “for his personal benefit,” the department said. He also admitted to filing false income tax returns for many clients by “reporting fraudulent deductions, including false Schedule C business losses and charitable contribution and state local tax deductions.”

And in his personal life, Sandoval also understated his income on his own tax returns from 2010 to 2017.

Sandoval is set for sentencing on Jan. 9, and he faces a maximum of five years in prison for the tax evasion, and three years for each of the false tax return charges. He also faces a period of supervised release, as well as restitution and other fees.

Contact Alexis Egeland at aegeland@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexis_egeland on Twitter.