FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2003 WWW.USDOJ.GOV CRM (202) 514-2008 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Acting Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wray of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Marcos Daniel Jimenez of the Southern District of Florida announced today that Mark B. Jimenez, 55, the former CEO and majority shareholder of Future Tech International, Inc. (FTI), pleaded guilty to two counts of tax evasion and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit election financing offenses.
Jimenez, 55, pleaded guilty before the Honorable District Judge Patricia Sietz of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division.
The tax charges against the defendant, which were originally filed in a 47-count superseding indictment in April 1999, stem from Jimenez creation of Kalisol, S.A., a Uruguayan company, as part of his scheme to transfer approximately $5 million of income out of the United States without paying income taxes. Jimenez admits that he used Kalisol to create false invoices to FTI for services that Kalisol never performed, and thereafter directed FTI employees to conceal the true nature of the FTI payments to Kalisol from the accountants who prepared his 1995 and 1996 personal income tax returns.
The election fraud charges stem from Jimenez conspiracy to defraud the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by making approximately $41,500 in illegal campaign contributions to various candidates for federal office. Jimenez admits that he, FTI, Mark Visions Holdings (MVH), and certain officers and employees of FTI and MVH made secret, disguised, and illegal campaign contributions, primarily by using various conduits, including employees of FTI and MVH, to violate federal election laws which limit donor sources and amounts. Jimenez further admits that the conduits were reimbursed for their contributions with checks and cash from FTI, MVH, or his personal bank account. As a result, Jimenez caused false information to be submitted to the FEC.
The maximum penalty for tax evasion is five years of imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, and the maximum penalty for the election fraud conspiracy is five years of imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. As part of his guilty plea, Jimenez agreed that he owes between $950,000 and $1.5 million in personal taxes for 1995 and 1996, and he agreed to a sentence of at least 21 months in prison. Sentencing will be set at a later date.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Michael E. Savage and Monika L. Bickert of the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, headed by Section Chief Noel L. Hillman, and was investigated by agents of the FBI and the IRS.
Jimenez is the final defendant to plead guilty as part of the investigation carried out by the Departments former Campaign Finance Task Force. 03-439
Source: US Department of Justice
