Gary M. Scott hid his assets and "went to great lengths to remove those assets out of his name."
The day after the federal tax deadline did not spell relief for 61-year-old Gary M. Scott of Lafayette.
U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced April 16 that Scott was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to two years in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $362,961 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in unpaid taxes.
According to the Stipulated Factual Basis in the plea agreement - Scott pleaded guilty to a single count of tax evasion in December 2012 - he earned more than $2.4 million in gross receipts between 2004 and 2009 and failed to file timely tax returns for those years.
In an attempt to avoid paying his tax liability and evade assessment of future income taxes, the U.S. Attorney's Office says in a statement that Scott intentionally hid assets and went to great lengths to remove those assets out of his name.
He cashed checks totaling approximately $722,000 at local check cashing stores and received wire transfers from customers into a bank account established under a third party's name.
The third party stated that Scott told him he needed a third party to open a bank account because Scott owed money to the IRS.