WPRO News

Former Providence City Councilman and State Representative Leon Tejada has agreed to plead guilty to federal tax and wire fraud charges, according to a statement from United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation.

According to court documents, Tejada, without the knowledge of his clients, created and falsified clients’ dependents, exemptions, tax credits, deductions and expenses in order to increase the amount of tax refund due to the clients during the tax years 2009 through 2012. It is alleged that the scheme resulted in a loss to the United States of $54,440.  He operated El Centro Multiservicios, LLC, a tax preparation business in Providence.

Tejada is also alleged to have devised a scheme to divert his clients’ tax refunds through a bank clearing house where a portion of the funds were diverted into his own bank account for his own personal use, without knowledge of his clients. The government claims that Tejada diverted $24,987 into his own bank account.

Tejada was a state representative between the years of 2001 and 2006,  and a member of the Providence City Council between 2009 and 2010.