Utah Businessman Indicted for Tax Evasion

A federal grand jury sitting in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment yesterday charging Peter N. Nordberg, a former resident of Draper, Utah, with tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney John W. Huber for the District of Utah.

According to the indictment, Nordberg was the Chief Executive Officer of Max International, a company that produces and markets nutritional supplements directly and through independent associates and distributors. As an employee of Max International, Nordberg earned a salary and commissions equal to a percentage of sales. The indictment alleges that during 2009 and 2010, Nordberg used a nominee entity that he registered in Delaware to conceal his receipt of commissions from Max International and filed false individual income tax returns that failed to report his commission income.

If convicted, Nordberg faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. It merely alleges that crimes have been committed. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Huber thanked agents of Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Matthew R. Hoffman of the Tax Division and AUSA Ruth Hackford-Peer of the District of Utah, who are prosecuting the case.

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