A federal district court in Cincinnati, Ohio, sentenced an Atlanta, Georgia, man to 57 months in prison today for tax evasion. This sentence included an enhancement for failing to report income from drug trafficking.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least 2011 to 2016, Darryl Brown earned at least $1 million. To evade paying taxes on this income, Brown did not file returns. He created nominee businesses, opened bank accounts and lines of credit in the names of those businesses, and then used the accounts to pay for his luxury lifestyle. This included extravagant overseas trips, Rolex and Cartier watches, and luxury clothing and vehicles. Brown further used cash to purchase money orders in structured amounts to avoid triggering reporting requirements to the Department of Treasury and the IRS. Brown then used the money orders to pay off the balances on his nominee accounts. In total, Brown caused a tax loss of more than $250,000.

U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black in the Southern District of Ohio also ordered Brown to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $377,240.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel of the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation and local law enforcement officials conducted the investigation.

Trial Attorneys Sarah C. Ranney and William Guappone of the Tax Division prosecuted the case, and Criminal Chief Karl Kadon of the Southern District of Ohio provided substantial assistance in this matter.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.