UNITED STATES ATTORNEY ALICE H. MARTIN NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			CONTACT: KAREN NARAMORE
	MAY 1, 2009			PHONE: (205) 244-2001
	www.usdoj.gov/usao/aln			FAX: (205) 244-2171

NIGHTCLUB OWNER PLEADS GUILTY TO STRUCTURING CHARGES

BIRMINGHAM, AL - CHARLES GREGORY CARDWELL, 54, of Hazel Green, Alabama, plead guilty today to 15 counts of structuring financial transactions in U.S. District Court in Birmingham.  CARDWELL was scheduled to begin trial today before Chief Judge Blackburn. He also agreed to forfeit $500,000.00.

            CARDWELL, the owner of Visions Gentleman’s Club and The Showcase Lounge, in Huntsville, was indicted in February, 2009 on sixty-seven counts of structuring transactions and one criminal forfeiture count.    
            According to court documents, CARDWELL stated that years earlier, he had once or twice made a cash deposit at a bank that was more than $10,000 and the bank filed an IRS report on him.  From that point forward, he decided to keep his cash deposits below $10,000.00 to avoid similar reports being filed.
            “Structuring cash deposits to avoid the reporting requirement to the IRS is against the law.  The reporting requirements are necessary to deter criminal activity and applies to all persons that use financial institutions,” stated U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin. 
            "Reporting requirements for cash transactions are required by law for a reason - they are an effective investigative tool for IRS Criminal Investigation to find those who might be engaged in tax evasion or some other type of illegal activity,” stated Reginael D. McDaniel, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations.
            This case was investigated by agents with the Internal Revenue Service, and Assistant United States Attorney Angela Redmond Debro and Davis A. Barlow are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

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