LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Las Vegas bankruptcy attorney Randolph H. Goldberg pleaded guilty today to willful tax evasion for filing tax returns that significantly understated his taxable income and for attempting to hide the income through the use of nominee bank accounts, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Goldberg pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro to one count of attempt to evade or defeat tax for the tax year 2008, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23, 2013, at 8:30 a.m.
“Paying income tax is a solemn obligation of citizenship," said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “It is never a good idea to try to hide your income from the IRS, or falsify your tax returns. You will most likely be caught, convicted and sent to prison."
“Those who are well versed in the law should profoundly know they are not above the law," said Paul Camacho, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation for Nevada.
According to the plea agreement, during 2008, Goldberg was a licensed attorney in Nevada and practiced in the area of bankruptcy law. Goldberg’s law firm, Randolph Goldberg, Esq., was organized and incorporated under Subchapter S of the IRS Code, which made any income generated by the firm taxable individually to Goldberg. In 2009, Goldberg willfully caused the filing of false and fraudulent federal tax returns for himself and the law firm, knowing that the returns contained false and fraudulent information and understated his true income in calendar year 2008. During 2008 and 2009, Goldberg also attempted to conceal the true income of his law firm by causing proceeds generated by the firm to be deposited directly into his personal bank account and to be deposited into a bank account held by a nominee corporation, separate from his law firm practice.
Goldberg was originally charged in September 2012 with four counts of tax evasion, in addition to five counts of structuring financial transactions. The government will move to dismiss the other charges at sentencing. Under federal sentencing rules, the tax loss in the counts originally charged will be considered at sentencing.
Goldberg faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. As part of his plea agreement, Goldberg will voluntarily suspend his license to practice law in Nevada for at least two years and pay full restitution to the IRS for all tax losses resulting from his evasion.
The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina M. Brown and Steven W. Myhre.
Today's announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys' offices and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
