Worcester pastor gets probation in IRS tax fraud case

Telegram & Gazette
September 14, 2015

http://www.telegram.com/article/20150914/NEWS/150919544

WORCESTER - A Worcester pastor and tax preparer convicted of filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service was sentenced to 2 years of probation Monday in federal court. 

Nydia Elicier, 56, owner of Cox Elicier Tax, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Hillman to 2 years of probation - the first 3 months of which she is restricted by location monitoring - and 100 hours of community service. She is also prohibited from working as a tax preparer. 

Ms. Elicier was convicted by a federal jury earlier this year on four counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, and not guilty on a fifth count.

The jury found that Ms. Elicier, in 2008, generated inflated and illegal refunds for clients by claiming deductions typically reserved for educators; false gifts to charity; overinflated medical expenses, and fradulent unreimbursed employee expenses.

A pastor at Iglesia Pentecostal La Senda Antigua congregation, Ms. Elicier operated the tax business with her daughter, Jenniffer Cox Elicier, who pleaded guilty in January 2014.