Audiologist Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Tax Fraud Ordered to Pay Over $1 Million in Restitution

SAN FRANCISCO – Michael Ryan Trythall was sentenced today to twenty-four months in prison for tax evasion, and ordered to pay restitution of $1,006,035, announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez.

Trythall, a 37 year-old resident of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in November 2014 to tax evasion.  According to the plea agreement, Trythall, a professional audiologist, embezzled more than $750,000 between 2009 and 2012 from his then-employer, a San Francisco audiology practice.  During that period, Trythall performed bookkeeping services for his employer and had access to the business’s financial records.  He was authorized to print business checks for others to sign, but he was not authorized to issue or sign checks on his own.  Nevertheless, Trythall issued business checks payable to himself, forged the signature of authorized signers, and deposited the checks into his personal bank accounts.  Trythall used the money he embezzled to pay for vacations and to shop at luxury retailers.

Trythall concealed his embezzlement by omitting payments to himself from the business’s books, making false entries into the business’s books, and failing to disclose his embezzlement, even when confronted by others.   Also, Trythall did not pay income taxes on any of the money he embezzled resulting in tax due and owing of over $230,000 for calendar years 2009 through 2011.

Trythall was charged by Information on September 25, 2014, with three counts of tax evasion.  He pleaded guilty to one count.

The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Edward M. Chen, United States District Judge, in San Francisco.  In addition to the twenty-four month sentence, Trythall also was sentenced to a one-year period of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $1,006,035 ($756,577 of which is to be paid to his former employer and the remaining $249,458 to the Internal Revenue Service).  In addition, Trythall agreed he owed $173,496 in civil fraud penalties to the Internal Revenue Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.