U.S. Department of Justice Alice H. Martin United States Attorney Northern District of Alabama

ATHENS CPA CHARGED WITH BANK FRAUD, MONEY LAUNDERING, AND TAX EVASION

HUNTSVILLE, AL - United States Attorney Alice H. Martin of the Northern District of Alabama, Carmen S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and James D. Vickery, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, announce today that DONNA MADISON BRUCE has agreed to plead guilty to charges of bank fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.

BRUCE, 43, of Athens, Alabama, was charged in a three-count information filed today in United States District Court. Bruce was charged with one count of bank fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of tax evasion. Bruce has agreed to plead guilty to the charges and forfeit several items of property. A hearing on Bruce's plea will be scheduled at a later date.

Bruce was a self-employed certified public accountant and operated under the business name of "Donna Madison Bruce, CPA." JCG Management, a local Athens business, hired Donna Bruce to provide payroll and tax accounting services. In providing services to JCG, Bruce had the authority to sign checks and pay bills related to the business.

According to the criminal information, in or around July 1998 and continuing through in or around July 2002, BRUCE would pay her personal and business accounts with funds from JCG Management's bank account without permission. BRUCE also paid other accounts with JCG funds without the knowledge and consent of JCG Management.

The criminal information also alleges that during the course of BRUCE's employment as accountant for JCG Management, BRUCE filed false and fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service and failed to pay the proper income tax on her earnings.

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The maximum sentence for mail fraud is twenty years in prison. Money laundering carries a maximum sentence of ten years, and tax evasion five years. All counts except for the tax evasion counts carries a fine of up to $250,000. The fine for tax evasion is $100,000. Bruce already has a judgment in the amount of $850,000 against her from the company that she is charged with victimizing in this case.

"A local business placed trust in Ms. Bruce and she used her position to steal from JCG Management," said U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin. "White collar thieves generally have far more educational and professional advantages, yet often they use these advantages to victimize the very businesses that employ them. They will be prosecuted."

Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case and Assistant United States Attorney Angela Redmond Debro is prosecuting this case.

Members of the public are reminded that the information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

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