U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney Western District of Washington 601 Union Street, Suite 5100 Tel: (206) 553-7970 Seattle, Washington  98101-3903 Fax: (206) 553-0882

Francis J. Diskin, United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, today announced that KI SANG KIM, age 50, of Renton, Washington, pleaded guilty on Friday, September 7, 2001, to making and subscribing to a false income tax return in violation of  Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).

According to court records, KIM willfully made and signed, under penalty of perjury, a tax return for the year 1995 that he knew contained false information about his taxable income.

KIM is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, November 30, 2001, at 10 a.m., before United States District Judge Marsha J. Pechman.  He faces imprisonment up to three years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of supervision following release from prison of up to one year, a $100.00 penalty assessment, and the costs of prosecution.

The case was investigated by Mike Hardaway of the Internal Revenue Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark N. Bartlett.

For further information, please contact Lawrence Lincoln, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, at (206) 553-4127.