A man outside the state of Florida was recently convicted on several counts of wire fraud and other criminal offenses. He now faces a potential lengthy prison term for tax evasion and the other white collar crimes. The man in question is a 65-year-old plastic surgeon, and the incidents arose during a divorce from his wife of 28 years.
The man’s former wife was the one who had filed for divorce in 2007. The doctor reportedly left the country without anyone knowing. He is said to have opened multiple bank accounts abroad, depositing as much as $350,000 cash.
During that time, it is also believed that the man hid a substantial amount of gold in a safety deposit box in another country. Within a year, millions of dollars had been deposited into the various accounts. The problem came about when the soon-to-be former husband at that time failed to disclose the multiple accounts and assets in court during divorce proceedings. The Internal Revenue Service was also not informed.
Homeland Security Investigations agents seized the funds when the surgeon attempted to repatriate them after the divorce. A sentencing hearing in the criminal proceedings has since been scheduled for March 2016. When a person in Florida or elsewhere signs a state or federal tax return, he or she may be prosecuted criminally for any false representations. If accused of tax evasion or other white collar crime, it is advisable to seek guidance from an experienced criminal lawyer in order to determine how best to proceed in court.
Source: forbes.com, “Surgeon Hid Money In Divorce, Is Convicted Of Tax Evasion, Faces Up To 95 Years Prison“, Robert W. Wood, Nov. 6, 2015
