Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula on November 24, 2009, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, TAMI L. CURLEY, a 42-year-old resident of Frenchtown, pled guilty to tax evasion and wire fraud. Sentencing is set for February 25, 2010. She is currently released on special conditions.

In an Offer of Proof filed by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

CURLEY worked as the office manager for Rawlings Manufacturing Inc. ("RMI") in Missoula from 1998 through August, 2004. RMI was owned by John Rawlings.

From January, 2000 until August, 2004, CURLEY wrote checks and had wire transfers made from the bank accounts of RMI and John Rawlings to: "cash" for herself, her husband, her business (Double C Lawn & Maintenance Services Inc.), her credit card companies, and others for her benefit. CURLEY also made charges on RMI's and John Rawlings' credit cards for her benefit. CURLEY was not authorized by John Rawlings or anyone else with authority to conduct these transactions.

CURLEY concealed some of the payments of RMI by coding payments made to herself, her husband, her business, her credit cards and vendors for CURLEY'S benefit, as being made to John Rawlings, legitimate vendors of RMI, and others.

On June 28, 2004, CURLEY caused $230.77 to be wired from RMI's bank account at Valley Bank of Kalispell to her credit card account at Capital One Bank in Richmond, Virginia.

On April 20, 2004, CURLEY signed and filed a joint U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for 2003 stating that the joint taxable income for her and her husband was $0 and the amount of tax due on that income was $0.

During 2003, CURLEY fraudulently obtained taxable income from RMI and John Rawlings which was not disclosed on her federal income tax return, and that taxable income resulted in more federal income tax for the calendar year than was declared due on her income tax return.

CURLEY faces possible penalties of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service.

A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.

 

 

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