Despite reports in Cleveland media and elsewhere of tax enforcement struggles the Internal Revenue Service is contending with as a result of budget cuts, the agency continues to charge some business owners with criminal tax evasion.
A business owner and three of his family members were recently charged with tax evasion. The owner also faces a bank fraud allegation; his son, who prepared tax returns for two of his father's restaurants, is charged with 18 counts of tax evasion.
The 65-year-old man owns a trio of Milwaukee-area restaurants. His wife, 60, son, 38 and son-in-law, 44 years old, were all named in a federal indictment. A special agent with the IRS Criminal Investigation office told a newspaper that the family members skimmed $1.7 million in cash from the restaurants. Some of it was allegedly spent on 3,300 ounces of silver ingots, the agent said.
He added that business owners who skim cash from their companies "...threaten the integrity of our nation's tax system." He noted that he and the federal government hope that prosecution of these kinds of cases will deter other entrepreneurs from engaging in tax-dodging plans.
Clearly, this family's freedom and assets are both at risk as a result of the serious charges filed. Just as clearly, they need experienced legal counsel to help them assess their options.
In similar situations, defendants want not only capable criminal defense lawyers, but tax attorneys with substantial experience nationally in effectively defending clients facing complex federal income tax evasion, failure to file and failure to report income allegations.
