MONTREAL, Canada — September 15, 2026: A Montreal tax preparer has received a conditional sentence of two years less a day after pleading guilty to fraud and forgery in a scheme involving false charitable donation claims on dozens of tax returns.
The Canada Revenue Agency said Félix Vil was sentenced at the Montreal courthouse on September 2 after pleading guilty to one count of fraud over $5,000 and one count of forging documents under Canada’s Criminal Code.
According to the CRA, Vil operated the scheme through his company, FEFA Multiservice Inc., preparing income tax returns for clients and falsely claiming charitable donations to reduce their tax liabilities.
Investigators found that a total of $438,048 in charitable donations were falsely claimed on the tax returns of 62 taxpayers. The CRA estimated that the false claims resulted in approximately $125,102 in taxes being evaded.
The agency said Vil also created false charitable donation receipts in the name of the Montreal-based Église de Dieu Ében-Ezer to support some of the claims.
The case highlights the CRA’s continuing efforts to pursue tax preparers and promoters who facilitate fraudulent claims. The agency says people who promote tax schemes can face criminal consequences, while taxpayers who participate in improper schemes may also be held accountable.
The CRA advises taxpayers to independently verify charities before claiming donations and to be cautious of arrangements that offer unusually large tax receipts compared with the amount actually donated.
The agency said the case-specific information in Vil’s prosecution was obtained from court records. The CRA also emphasized that individuals convicted of tax offences can remain liable for the underlying taxes, interest and applicable penalties in addition to any criminal sentence.