John L. Brownlee
United States Attorney

Heidi Coy
Public Affairs Specialist

BB&T Building
310 1st Street, S.W., Room 906
Roanoke, Virginia 24011
(540) 857-2250
FAX (540) 857-2180

November 14, 2005

NELSON COUNTY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX EVASION

United States Attorney John L. Brownlee announced today that Robert Bernardini, age 49, formerly of Nelson County, Virginia, pled guilty to tax evasion. The guilty plea was entered November 9, 2005, in United States District Court in Lynchburg before Judge Norman K. Moon. Bernardini also agreed to the entry of a cease and desist order prohibiting the advertising, promoting, and selling of "energy mugs" and several "get-rich-quick" schemes.

Bernardini was charged in April, 2005, in a three count indictment with tax evasion for the years 1998, 1999, 2000. Bernardini operated a mail order business and would submit false information to his tax return preparer. The gross receipts Bernardini submitted for tax purposes were substantially less than his actual taxable income. Bernardini listed his taxable income as follows:

The total unclaimed income for the three years combined is estimated at approximately $722,410 with a tax loss of $225,000.

Bernardini faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $100,000.

The case was investigated by the IRS and the USPS.

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph W. H. Mott prosecuted the case.

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