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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Jan. 15, 2008
TRIAL IN $70 MILLION TAX FRAUD CASE EXPECTED TO LAST SIX WEEKS
TOPEKA, KAN. – Michael Craig Cooper’s trial on federal tax charges began Monday in Kansas City, Kan., and is expected to last six weeks. Jury selection continues today followed by opening statements.
Cooper, 53, the former president of Renaissance, the Tax People, Inc., is charged in a 148-count indictment with conspiracy, tax fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment alleges he designed, organized and led an elaborate pyramid scheme built on selling investors fraudulent tax advice, encouraging them to reduce their tax withholdings so they could afford to buy his products and offering them cash incentives to sign up other investors.
The indictment charges Cooper with:
– One count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, to commit wire fraud and to commit mail fraud
– 56 counts of assisting in the preparation of false federal income tax returns
– 36 counts of mail fraud
– 11 counts of wire fraud
– one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering
– 41 counts of unlawful monetary transactions
– two counts of money laundering
The government is seeking a money judgment of $75 million, representing the proceeds the conspirators are alleged to have received from the crimes.
U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia is hearing the case. Investigators included the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Kansas Attorney General’s office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask and Department of Justice Tax Division Trial Attorney Charles O’Reilly are prosecuting.
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