COUPLE PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE IRS
DENVER – Lance Wheeler, age 43, and Lisa Wheeler, age 41, a husband and wife from Elizabeth, Colorado, plead guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney David M. Gaouette, and IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Sigerson announced. Judge Brimmer is scheduled to sentence Lance and Lisa Wheeler on April 23, 2010. Both remain free on bond.
Lance and Lisa Wheeler where charged by an Information on January 21, 2010, where they waived their right to be indicted by a federal grand jury. They pled guilty on February 4, 2010.
According to the Information charging Lance and Lisa Wheeler, on October 2000, and continuing to April 15, 2005, the Wheelers conspired and agreed with each other, knowingly and with the intent to defraud the United States, for the purpose of impeding, impairing, obstructing, and defeating the lawful government functions of the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"). During tax years 2001 through 2004, defendant Lance Wheeler was a plumber who owned his own plumbing business, Assurance Plumbing and Heating, LLC (“Assurance”) in Elizabeth, Colorado. His wife Lisa Wheeler acted as the bookkeeper for Assurance.
In October 2000, Lance and Lisa Wheeler became clients of Innovative Financial Consultants ("IFC"), which publically promoted and sold an abusive tax scheme. The Wheelers purchased and used this Tax Scheme and failed to report $305,375 in income for the tax years 2001 through 2004, resulting in $60,621 in additional tax due and owing to the IRS. In December 2000, Lance and Lisa Wheeler opened bank accounts in the names Mountain High and Providence as part of the scheme. Starting in January 2001 and continuing through the end of 2004, Lance and Lisa Wheeler deposited the business proceeds of Assurance into the Mountain High and Providence bank accounts and they both used the bank accounts to pay for personal expenses and to make cash withdrawals. Specifically, from 2001 through 2004, Lance and Lisa Wheeler spent approximately $324,571 from these two accounts on personal expenses.
Lance and Lisa Wheeler claimed to be merely "managers" of Assurance with no ownership interest. Additionally, Lance and Lisa Wheeler did not file any U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns (Forms 1040) or report to the IRS any income for the tax years 2001-2004. In reality, Lance and Lisa Wheeler were the owners of Assurance, and they received all of Assurance's profits.
Both Lance and Lisa Wheeler pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Conspiracy carries a penalty of not more than 5 years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. The defendants could also be ordered to pay restitution.
“As the filing season is under way, it is important to remind all taxpayers to file complete and accurate tax returns. Those who commit tax fraud increase the tax burden for all honest taxpayers,” said Christopher M. Sigerson, Special Agent in Charge for IRS Criminal Investigation.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pegeen Rhyne.
####
