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Florida Jacksonville CEO Faces Jail Time for Evading Their Taxes

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    Tax evasion refers to intentional underreporting of taxable income or criminally avoiding the payment of taxes. As a former CEO in Florida just found out, perpetrators of tax evasion can face serious consequences for their actions.

    During Jason Cory’s time as CEO of a Jacksonville-based IT services company, he caused over $1.5 million to be transferred into the bank accounts of a shell company that he controlled. He did not report these transfers on his income tax returns. Furthermore, he went to great lengths to hide his scheme. Accordingly, he has been ordered to serve a prison sentence, three years of supervised release, and pay a costly fine.

    If you suspect that you may be charged with a tax crime, consult with our Dual Licensed Criminal Tax Defense Attorneys and CPAs at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing. Call us today at (800) 681-1295.

    If you have failed to file a tax return for one or more years or have taken a position on a tax return that could not be supported upon an IRS or state tax authority audit, eggshell audit, reverse eggshell audit, or criminal tax investigation, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced tax defense attorney to determine your best route back into federal or state tax compliance without facing criminal prosecution.

    Note: As long as a taxpayer that has willfully committed tax crimes (potentially including non-filed foreign information returns coupled with affirmative evasion of U.S. income tax on offshore income) self-reports the tax fraud (including a pattern of non-filed returns) through a domestic or offshore voluntary disclosure before the IRS has started an audit or criminal tax investigation / prosecution, the taxpayer can ordinarily be successfully brought back into tax compliance and receive a nearly guaranteed pass on criminal tax prosecution and simultaneously often receive a break on the civil penalties that would otherwise apply. 

    It is imperative that you hire an experienced and reputable criminal tax defense attorney to take you through the voluntary disclosure process. Only an Attorney has the Attorney Client Privilege and Work Product Privileges that will prevent the very professional that you hire from being potentially being forced to become a witness against you, especially where they prepared the returns that need to be amended, in a subsequent criminal tax audit, investigation or prosecution.

    Moreover, only an Attorney can enter you into a voluntary disclosure without engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (a crime in itself). Only an Attorney trained in Criminal Tax Defense fully understands the risks and rewards involved in voluntary disclosures and how to protect you if you do not qualify for a voluntary disclosure.

    As uniquely qualified and extensively experienced Criminal Tax Defense Tax Attorneys, KovelCPAs and EAs, our firm provides a one stop shop to efficiently achieve the optimal and predictable results that simultaneously protect your liberty and your net worth. See our Testimonials to see what our clients have to say about us!

    Former CEO Convicted for Tax Crimes in Jacksonville, FL

    On January 30, 2023, a former CEO in Florida named Jason Cory was sentenced to 32 months in jail for trying to evade his federal income tax obligations. In addition to spending time in prison, Cory will have to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay the government over $600,000 in fines.

    Cory was the CEO of an IT services company based out of Jacksonville. Court documents indicate that between 2015 and 2018, he transferred over $1.5 million to the bank accounts of a shell company he controlled called “Gambit Matrix LLC.” Cory asserted that the payments were for consulting services that ultimately were never provided. Instead, he used the money to pay his rent, club memberships, and credit card bills.

    The former CEO did not report the payment he received through the transfers to Gambit Matrix on his income tax returns. Furthermore, to conceal his actions, Cory created fake owners of Gambit Matrix, presented false representations to an employer, forged emails, and falsified Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forms.

    Examples of Tax Crimes You Can Go to Jail for

    Criminal tax investigations may be initiated against suspected perpetrators of tax evasion, tax fraud, and embezzlement. These crimes can come in many forms. For example, people may go to prison if they willfully assist in procuring fraudulent tax returns. This crime can be punished regardless of whether the person required to file the returns knew their documents were falsified.

    You may also face criminal penalties for falsifying other types of tax documents to the IRS. For instance, Jason Cory, the former Florida CEO who was recently convicted of tax evasion, was found guilty of falsifying IRS Forms W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number).

    Furthermore, prison sentences may be levied against those who remove, conceal, or deposit commodities or goods for the purpose of evading their income taxes. If you were accused of attempting to hide goods or commodities from the IRS, call our Dual Licensed Tax Attorneys and CPAs for help determining the appropriate course of action.

    Possible Mitigation Techniques and Defenses Used by Criminal Tax Defendants

    It is best to avoid engaging in any activity that may raise suspicion from the IRS. Still, a conviction for tax crimes can seriously impact your life. However, there are many potential defenses to tax crimes:

    Establishing Deceit on Behalf of a Tax Examiner

    Our attorneys may be able to defend against accusations of tax crimes by asserting that you were misled as to whether you were being criminally investigated. If this trickery was material to your decision to provide information to an examiner, your Fourth Amendment rights might have been violated.

    Prove that Your Allegedly Fraudulent Actions Were Not Intentional

    You may also assert that your allegedly fraudulent actions were not taken with criminal intent. When prosecuting tax crimes, the government must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Entrapment

    Furthermore, our attorneys may defend against an accusation of tax evasion by asserting that entrapment occurred. If we can prove that a government agent induced you to commit an offense you otherwise would not have committed, this defense may prevail.

    Plea Bargains

    Finally, we may be able to negotiate a plea bargain for you. If you enter into such an agreement, you will plead guilty to certain crimes in exchange for a lesser sentence.

    Determining whether to accept an offer for a plea bargain can be a stressful and complicated task. Fortunately, our experienced dual licensed Criminal Tax Defense Attorneys & CPAs can help weigh all the legal options available to you.

    Tax Avoidance vs. Tax Evasion

    Tax evasion involves using illegal and often deceitful methods to get out of paying the taxes you would otherwise owe. For instance, intentionally leaving income off your tax returns would constitute tax evasion and could result in significant criminal tax penalties.

    On the other hand, tax avoidance involves the use of legal means to lower your tax obligations. For example, you can avoid taxes by claiming a child tax credit or mortgage tax reduction. Furthermore, moving funds into a Health Savings Account (HSA) may reduce your tax obligations.

    What to Do During an Audit to Prevent Being Prosecuted for Tax Evasion

    If you are being audited by the IRS, you should go into the audit knowing what your potential problems are and knowing what documents may be used to support or disprove your case. If you have a good strategy going into your audit, you may be able to prove that your tax issues are merely accounting and bookkeeping mistakes.

    If You Need Help Dealing with a Civil or Potential or Actual Criminal Tax Issue, Contact Our Law Firm for Assistance

    If you are looking to minimize the exposure from a civil or criminal tax issue, seek guidance from our experienced Dual Licensed Tax Attorneys and CPAs at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing by calling (800) 681-1295 today or schedule online here to book a reduced rate initial consultation.

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