Lynne C. Taylor, age 50, from Maple Grove, was sentenced by Judge Joan Lancaster to one year and one day in prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to pay $145,252 in restitution.  Taylor pled guilty in October 2002 to willfully failing to pay over tax and mail fraud.

Taylor used her position as a bookkeeper for Lindsay Properties, Inc. and U-Do Car Wash Plymouth to embezzle approximately $145,252 from the businesses.  Taylor embezzled the money by altering checks payable to herself by changing the amount written on the check to a greater amount.

To insure that the businesses had sufficient available funds to pay the altered checks, Taylor failed to pay federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Acts taxes collected from Lindsay Properties and U-Do Car Wash employees. From October 1997 through June 1999, Taylor failed to pay over $44,000 in monies collected from employees.

In addition,  Taylor filed false federal tax returns, understating her income by $18,000  for calendar year 1996; over $50,442 for calendar year 1997; and $53,100 for calendar year 1998.

The case is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney John Marti prosecuted the case.