Vancouver Tax Preparer Guilty of Producing Fraudulent Returns; Faces Concurrent Sentence for Attempted Murder

A Vancouver, Washington, tax preparer has pleaded guilty to producing a plethora of fake tax returns, amounting to serious defrauding of the United States Treasury. Keith Altamirano, owner and operator of Integrity Investments, LLC, which conducted business under the name "Servicios Latinos," admitted to sixteen counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent returns, says Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller in an announcement released on the Department of Justice website.

Altamirano's deceit involved falsifying clients' tax returns to inflate or fabricate business expenses, charitable donations, and medical expenses, as well as claiming nonexistent assets for depreciation. His method of concealment included using "White Out" to erase his identification on the filed returns. Although his clientele remained oblivious, their fraudulent returns led to exceeding refunds and unintentionally promoted Altamirano's reputation, facilitating his business to flourish through word-of-mouth. In light of the falsities, analysis revealed that the preparer's actions have cost the U.S. Treasury in excess of $5 million between 2017 and 2021.

Notably, Keith Altamirano is facing more than just the repercussions of tax fraud—this month, he also entered a guilty plea for attempted second-degree murder and drug charges in Clark County Superior Court. As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Altamirano received a sentence of 135 months, which will concurrently run with his federal sentence, a decision in accordance with the Clark County judgment.

The crimes for which the tax preparer is duly charged could lead him to face up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each of the counts of aiding and assisting with filing a false or fraudulent tax return. With the gravity of these offenses on the table, Altamirano has agreed to pay $104,518 in restitution to the IRS specifically for the loss resulting from the 16 counts he pleaded guilty to. Prosecutors have leaned towards recommending imprisonment at the federal guidelines' lower end, though Chief Judge David G. Estudillo retains the discretion to determine a different sentence within legal constraints. Altamirano's date with fate, as scheduled, is on December 19, 2025.

The IRS Criminal Investigation team was the unit behind uncovering Altamirano’s scheme, with Amanda McDowell at the helm of the prosecution. While the justice system churns forward and the sentencing date approaches, this case stands as a blunt reminder of the potential perils shadowing the corner-cutting allure of falsified tax preparation.