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Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty in Scam to Defraud IRS

The owner of a Pasadena tax preparation service has pleaded guilty in federal court to tax evasion and conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

Harry H. Diramarian, 59, operator of HAS Professional Services, admitted cheating the IRS out of more than $600,000 from 1994 to 1997.

Prosecutors said the fraud involved Diramarian’s operation of Aleco Furniture Manufacturing in Vernon. By using sham companies to pay his employees, Diramarian evaded paying the government income taxes, Social Security withholding and unemployment taxes for workers at Aleco.

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He faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison and a $2.25-million fine when he is sentenced on May 3.

Previously, three of his clients at HAS Professional Services pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges. They admitted getting loans by submitting fraudulent tax returns and other bogus financial documents prepared by Diramarian’s tax firm.

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