A Lemon Grove tax preparer is accused of using customer Social Security numbers to get $1 million in fraudulent refunds from the IRS.
Cynthia Lozano, 31, faces 33 counts including identity theft and wire and mail fraud according to federal prosecutors.
Lozano ran the business "CLozano Income Taxes" in Spring Valley since 2010. She allegedly targeted 200 victims by filing fake 1040 forms in their names.
She was arrested in Phoenix, Ariz. Monday where prosecutors say she used the money she received from the IRS to buy 20 properties.
They allege that she used “a bewildering maze of bank accounts.”
If convicted on all charges, Lozano could face up to 47 years in custody and $750,000 in fines as well as forfeiture of the properties purchased with the illegal funds.