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Press Release

Former Buffalo Man Indicted for Tax Evasion, Failure to File Returns

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Missouri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former Buffalo, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for tax evasion and for failing to file tax returns.

 

Ronald Allen Downey, 56, formerly of Buffalo, was charged in a four-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on April 2, 2015. That indictment has been unsealed and made public following Downey’s arrest in Hawaii and initial court appearance today in the U.S. District Court in Springfield. Downey was released on bond.

 

Downey worked as an alternative healer and teacher in his company, Downey Life Transformation Center.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that in 2008 Downey received $818,386 in gross income, of which at least $79,343 constituted taxable income. Downey did not file an income tax return, the indictment says, but attempted to evade paying taxes by using bank accounts that were opened with false Social Security numbers and by fraudulently using the credit card merchant account of another person to process commercial transactions.

 

The federal indictment also charges Downey with three counts of failing to file a federal income tax return. According to the indictment, Downey received gross income of $254,743 in 2009, $101,206 in 2010 and $69,423 in 2011. Downey allegedly failed to file an income tax return for each of those years.

 

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Updated February 4, 2016

Topic
Tax