United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

FORMER CONNECTICUT RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL TAX CHARGE

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL HARRISON, 52, of Newburgh, New York, and formerly of Weston, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Christopher F. Droney in Hartford to one count of making and subscribing a false tax return.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2004, HARRISON filed a false federal tax return for the tax year 2002.  The tax return failed to report $514,727.62 in income HARRISON received in 2002 from Danone Waters of North America, where HARRISON was employed until October 2002, through “Retained Attorney Partners, LLC,” an entity HARRISON controlled.

HARRISON’s willful omission on his personal tax return resulted in a tax loss to the Government of approximately $204,000.

Judge Droney has scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2010, at which time HARRISON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years and a fine of up to approximately $770,000.  HARRISON also will be required to pay back taxes and interest in the approximate amount of $385,000.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James Smart.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov