Former Ohio In House Counsel Gets Prison for Tax Fraud
Here is something to mark down on your list of things not to do: orchestrate an elaborate tax fraud scheme.
Alan Koehler, the former in house counsel of Buddy's Carpet was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for doing just that, according to the U.S. Justice Department. In addition, Koehler was given a three-year period of supervised release, and a $20,000 fine and a special assessment. Prosecutors had originally sought eight years in prison for Koehler. Koehler's attorneys had sought probation with house arrest.
A jury found Koehler guilty of conspiracy and assisting in the filing of a false federal income tax return. During trial, the evidence demonstrated that Koehler conspired to defraud the United States by having Rozin, Inc., dba Buddy's Carpet, purchase sham "Loss of Income" insurance policies from an insurance company in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Koehler and the conspirators used the sham insurance policies to evade $775,000 in income taxes, the Cypress Times reports. According to the evidence, the members of the conspiracy intended to go even further, but stopped their fradulent practices after the IRS disclosed its criminal investigation.
Tax fraud is a federal offense that is used when a person is accused of willfully attempting to evade or defeat the payment of taxes due and owing.
The former owner of the company Leif Rozin, was sentenced to a year in prison for his role in the fraud. According to prosecutors, Koehler lost hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars though the use of the sham insurance policies. In addition, Koehler withheld significant material facts from investigators.
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