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Press Release

Former President Of Cherokee Tobacco And Firebird Manufacturing Indicted

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia
Kathryn Farley Charged In 47-Count Indictment

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA – The former President of Cherokee Tobacco and Firebird Manufacturing, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke on tax and contraband cigarette charges.

Kathryn Crabtree Farley, 46, of Halifax, Va., was charged in an indictment returned under seal on Thursday, April 2, 2015 and unsealed yesterday afternoon after the defendant’s initial court appearance.

The grand jury has charged Farley with 22 counts of fraudulent refusal to pay or evasion of over $13,000,000 in federal cigarette excise tax, seven counts of violating the contraband cigarette trafficking act, seven counts of wire fraud, six counts of money laundering and five counts of engage in monetary transaction with funds from specified unlawful activity.   The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of a number of assets purchased with proceeds of the offenses.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, the Alcohol and Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau, the Virginia State Police, the United States Department of Agriculture.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Mott will prosecute the case for the United States.

A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Updated April 15, 2015