Avoid a Crime Scene and hire the right accountant

By Stacie Kitts, CPA

When I read a story about someone who appears to have been messing with the tax system for some thirty years, it makes me wonder…..who in the heck did their taxes, and why did it take so long to get busted.

The Orange County District Attorney is reporting that James and Dorothy Klinger, owners of Jamo’s Gardening and Modern Tree Services Inc. are charged with 28 counts of failing to file a return with intent to evade tax, 28 counts of willful failure to pay taxes, and some felony counts for lying about their business to a worker’s compensation insurance company.

These two are looking at spending the rest of their lives in prison if convicted.

They appear to have used an old school tax crook technique and kept two sets of books.   You know, one that showed the “real” dollars and one that was a work of fiction.

Was it worth it? You decide….

They are accused of underreporting about $3.6 million in income and $3 million in wages.  This translates to about 1.9 million that should have been paid over in taxes (give or take) that they got to keep – for a little while anyway.

I don’t know about you,  but $2 million isn’t enough money to risk a 40 year prison sentence.   Am I Right!?

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