HEATHER CHAISSON, a resident of Harvey, Louisiana pleaded guilty in federal court today before United States District Judge Helen G. Berrigan to a one-count Bill of Information charging her with failing to collect and pay over taxes she was obligated to collect on behalf of her employer, announced United States Attorney Jim Letten.

According to the court documents, between May 2007 and June 2008, CHAISSON worked as the bookkeeper for a New Orleans-based software design company. As the bookkeeper, she had the authority and responsibility to oversee her employer’s accounting and payroll, including collecting and paying over federal taxes. Instead of fulfilling these duties, CHAISSON used her position to add money to her own paycheck, issue herself an extra payroll check, and cause checks to be written to her, and then cover up these payments by making it look like these amounts were either being paid to other creditors or being used as tax withholdings for the company. As a result of her conduct, CHAISSON’S employer failed to make over $174,000 of required tax payments to the Internal Revenue Service.

CHAISSON faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for November 23, 2011.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg.

(Download Factual Basis )

 

 

 

Return to Top