Some tax-related allegations can expose a person to more than just a tax dispute with the Internal Revenue Service. Some could land a person in serious criminal proceedings. Among such accusations is being accused of tax evasion. A person’s freedom and many other key things in their life can be at risk when charges of tax evasion are leveled against them. So, when such charges come up, having the advice of an attorney with a comprehensive understanding of the specifics and issues of criminal cases involving tax matters can be critical.
Many different types of accusations could expose a person to the possibility of tax evasion charges. And this doesn’t just include accusations of tax misconduct in relation to one’s personal finances. It also includes accusations of tax wrongdoing related to a business one owns or plays a big role in. There are various tax rules businesses/employers are subject to. This includes rules regarding reporting compensation given to employees. Accusations of having violated these rules to try to keep money from the IRS can put a person into a serious legal situation.
This can be seen in a federal tax evasion case that has been in the news recently. The case involves the chief financial officer of Soupman. This company is a soup business that uses the recipes of and connects its brand to the man who was the inspiration for the “Seinfeld” character the “Soup Nazi.”
The company’s CFO is accused of failing to report some cash and stock given to workers. Prosecutors allege that the unreported compensation totaled out to $2.85 million in value. They claim that the failure to report these payments caused the IRS to miss out on around $594,000 in taxes.
Federal tax crimes charges were recently brought against the CFO over this alleged tax evasion. If convicted of these charges, he could receive as much as five years in prison.
Source: Reuters, “’Soup Nazi’ company executive indicted for U.S. tax evasion,” Jonathan Stempel, May 23, 2017