Former Company Executive Sentenced to Federal Prison in $9 Million Tax Evasion Scheme

Columbia, South Carolina - United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Bryan S. Bower, 51, formerly of Lake Wylie, South Carolina, was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for tax evasion.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Bower is a former executive of Buckeye Fire Equipment in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. From 2010 to 2013, Bower diverted over $25 million in customer payments directly into his personal bank accounts. He then failed to claim the income on his yearly tax returns, resulting in a failure to pay over $9 million in income taxes.

Bower pled guilty to tax evasion, and United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced him to 41 months in federal prison.  There is no parole in the federal system.

“Mr. Bower’s embezzlement scheme to steal from his employer while also deliberately underreporting his embezzlement income on his federal tax returns was motivated by greed,” said Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office.  “Today’s sentencing is a reminder that there are detrimental consequences for this type of criminal behavior.  IRS Criminal Investigation will continue our work to bring justice to those that abuse their positions of trust and steal from innocent victims.”

The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office.

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