A Van Nuys tax preparer has pleaded...

A Van Nuys tax preparer has pleaded guilty to 15 counts of filing false federal income tax returns to obtain $136,000 in tax refunds, authorities said Wednesday.

Beverly Hollis, 45, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court, admitting that she used 15 aliases to open several mail drops and bank accounts to receive and deposit tax refund checks, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for U.S. Atty. Nora M. Manella.

Hollis gathered tax information from her clients, which she used to prepare and submit tax returns, Mrozek said. She then filed tax returns that contained false information about businesses that her clients did not own and business income and deductions that did not apply. Clients did not see or sign the returns, he said.

In several instances, Mrozek said, Hollis prepared false tax returns using information about very young children who purportedly owned and operated business.

The Internal Revenue Service sent about $136,000 in tax refund checks to Hollis’ mail drops, which she later deposited into various bank accounts, Mrozek said.

Hollis is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 15 by U.S. District Judge William J. Rea, Mrozek said.