A 52-year-old New Jersey tax preparer was found guilty of orchestrating tax credit fraud during the coronavirus pandemic that cost the government more than $55 million.

A jury convicted Leon Haynes of 15 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false tax returns, one count of mail fraud and two counts of tax evasion following a six-day trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Jersey said.

Haynes, of Teaneck, is scheduled to be sentenced March 12.

Haynes helped file more than 1,900 false tax returns during the pandemic, most containing false information about employee counts and wages..

Congress authorized the employee retention tax credit and sick and family leave credit to help struggling businesses during COVID.

Haynes took advantage of those credits fr

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