TAX (202) 514-2007WWW.USDOJ.GOV
TDD (202) 514-1888
MARYLAND BUSINESSMAN CONVICTED ON TAX CHARGES
Washington, D.C. A federal jury convicted a Maryland businessman on two counts of signing and filing false federal individual income tax returns, the Department of Justice announced today.
Manus E. Suddreth, 56, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was convicted of diverting more than $400,000 from his landfill and excavating business, Patapsco Excavating, Inc., for his personal use, and failing to report these amounts as income on his 1993 and 1994 returns.
According to evidence presented at trial, Suddreth diverted these funds by having checks issued from the Patapsco Excavating Inc. bank account to pay for personal expenses such as the purchase and renovation of residential and commercial real estate, the renovation of recreational property in Del Ray Heights, West Virginia, and Crisfield, Maryland, and the restoration of a classic car.
Although Suddreth's tax returns were prepared by an accountant hired for this purpose, the evidence at trial established that the accountant was not made aware of the nature or extent of these expenditures in connection with his preparation of Suddreth's returns.
U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis scheduled Suddreth's sentencing for September 18, 2001. Suddreth faces a maximum sentence of 3 years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on each count.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. It was prosecuted by Department of Justice, Tax Division Trial Attorneys Andrew J. Kameros and Deborah Kravitz.
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