CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The woman who ran J & G Armadillo Tax Services, is going to prison. Her two daughters who worked with her at the tax preparation business, were sentenced to probation today in federal court.
Jeannette Villarreal, and her daughters Leannette and Zeannette plead guilty in July 2022, and had been out on bond since. All three plead guilty to conspiracy to commit tax fraud over a four year period, from 2014 to 2018.
Today in federal court, Judge Nelda Ramos handed down their sentences.
The government saying that on numerous occasions, the three women knowingly reported inaccurate earnings, fictitious charitable contributions, and improper tax credits in order to increase the refund paid to the client.
They initially faced a total of 56 charges, but today, all but one of those charges were dismissed.
The judge sentenced Jeannette Villarreal to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years supervision, plus a $15,000 fine. She will remain on bond, then voluntarily surrender to a federal prison upon notification of its location.
Leannette Villarreal and Zeannette Salazar were each given two years probation, plus a $5,000 fine.
Leannette has been living in North Dakota and working in a business there with her mother. She will return there to carry out her probation.
All three are banned from doing tax preparations.
The prosecution estimated in court today that the total tax loss to the government to be in the millions of dollars.
We also asked prosecutors about the status of the COVID Relief funds Jeannette told us she applied for through the Payroll Protection Program in July 2020. She told us she had been approved for $170,000.
Prosecutors said that has to be taken up with the Social Security Administration.
