Clinton County, Kentucky Man Charged With Filing False Tax Returns

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Clinton County, Kentucky man was charged by a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky this week, for failing to report approximately $386,183.67 in income and royalty income during a six year period and for overstating business expenses of $581,519.91 announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

According to the six count indictment, Steven L. Burchett did willfully make and subscribe U.S. Individual Tax Returns, for the calendar years 2006 through 2011,which were written under the penalty of perjury and filed with the Internal Revenue Service, (IRS) and included information he did not believe to be true and correct.

Specifically, the indictment states that on October 11, 2008, defendant Burchett filed a U.S. Individual Tax Return for calendar year 2006, with the IRS, in which he failed to report approximately $224,735.76 of additional income on Form 1040 line 22.

On October 8, 2008, defendant Burchett filed a U.S. Individual Tax Return, for the calendar year 2007, with the IRS, in which he failed to report approximately $27,003.91 of additional income on Form 1040, Line 22.

On October 15, 2009, defendant Burchett filed a U.S. Individual Tax Return, for the calendar year 2008, with the IRS, and included information he did not believe to be true and correct. Specifically, the return overstated approximately $41,394 in business expenses on Schedule C, Line 28, and failed to report royalty income of approximately $18,236 and understated approximately $56,895 in additional income on Form 1040, Line 22.

On April 15, 2010, defendant Burchett filed a U.S. Individual Tax Return, for the calendar year 2009, which was made under the penalty of perjury and was filed with the IRS, and included information he did not believe to be true and correct. Specifically, the return overstated approximately $90,650 in business expenses on Schedule C, Line 28, and failed to report approximately $38,323 in royalty income and understated approximately $123,225 in additional income on Form 1040, Line 22.

On April 15, 2011, defendant Burchett filed a U.S. Individual Tax Return, for the calendar year 2010, which was made under the penalty of perjury and was filed with the IRS, and included information he did not believe to be true and correct. Specifically, the return overstated approximately $305,564 in business expenses on Schedule C, Line 28, and failed to report approximately $64,490 in royalty income and understated approximately $360,380 in additional income on Form 1040, Line 22.

On April 15, 2012, defendant Burchett filed a U.S. Individual Tax Return, for the calendar year 2011, which was made under the penalty of perjury and was filed with the IRS, and included information he did not believe to be true and correct. Specifically, the return overstated approximately $72,050 in business expenses on Schedule C, Line 28, and failed to report approximately$74,778 in royalty income and understated approximately $135,611 in additional income on Form 1040, Line 22.

If convicted at trial, Burchett faces up to three years in prison on each of the six charges for a total of eighteen years, a total fine of $1,500,000., and a period of up to six years of supervised release.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Judd and is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service.

The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation
only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless
proven guilty.