Company Owner Pleads Guilty To Failing To Pay Taxes

Baltimore, Maryland – Jonas Purisch, age 39, of Perry Hall, Maryland pleaded guilty today to subscribing to a false tax return and failing to file a tax return.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Kelly of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to his plea agreement, Purisch owned and operated JP Staffing, Inc., a company based in Baltimore which provided temporary factory workers. JP Staffing paid its employees in cash. Purisch earned significant amounts of revenue from his operation of the business.  In order to avoid paying income taxes, Purisch deposited his income from the business into one of his two personal bank accounts.

In the years 2006 and 2007, Purisch filed individual federal income tax returns which understated his income.  Purisch falsely stated in his 2006 tax return that his income was $52,870, when in fact he deposited $276,572 of income into his personal bank accounts.  Purisch’s unpaid personal income tax for 2006 was $17,851.  Purisch falsely stated on his 2007 tax return that his income was $4,000, when in fact he earned $375,158, resulting in personal income tax liability of $48,410 for 2007.

Purisch deposited $457,499 of income into his personal bank accounts in 2008, and deposited $280,426 in 2009, but never filed a 2008 or 2009 tax return.  Purisch’s unpaid personal income tax was $73,836 in 2008, and $41,100 in 2009.

The total tax loss in this case including interest on unpaid taxes is $210,019.04.

Purisch faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for subscribing to a false tax return, and one year in prison and $100,000 fine for failing to file a tax return.  Purisch will be required to pay restitution of $210,019.04 to the IRS, including interest.  U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2013, at 10:00 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the IRS Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter M. Nothstein, who is prosecuting the case.