United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

ATTORNEY PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL TAX CHARGES

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL SHERMAN, 63, of Greenwich, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to two counts of willfully failing to pay federal income taxes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, SHERMAN, an attorney, failed to pay his federal income taxes in 2001 and 2002 after he filed his tax returns reporting his income in each of those years.  In October 2002, after receiving an extension from the Internal Revenue Service, SHERMAN filed an individual income tax return for the 2001 tax year indicating that he had received $667,256 in taxable income and owed $278,304 in income taxes.  However, even though he had the ability to do so, SHERMAN willfully failed to pay the taxes he owed.

In October 2003, again after receiving an extension, SHERMAN filed an individual income tax return for the 2002 tax year indicating that he had received $347,757 in taxable income and owed $142,406 in income taxes.  Again, he failed to pay his taxes even though he had the ability to do so.

Judge Hall has scheduled sentencing for September 27, 2010, at which time SHERMAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years and a fine of up to $200,000.

To date, SHERMAN has paid a total of $420,710 in taxes for the years 2001 and 2002, but he still owes penalties and interest for those years in the approximate amount of $309,000.  SHERMAN also owes back taxes in the approximate amount of $697,500, and approximately $144,000 in penalties and interest, for the 2004 through 2008 tax years.

This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.

CONTACT:

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