PITTSBURGH - A Mercer County couple have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on charges of conspiracy, making or subscribing a false tax return, and aiding and assisting the making or subscribing of a false tax return, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The 10-count indictment, returned on June 4, 2013, named Eric Graven and Barbara Graven of Hermitage, Pa., as the defendants.
According to the indictment, Barbara Graven, the President of Custom Stone and Tile, Inc., and her husband, Eric Graven, the Vice President and co-owner of Custom Stone and Tile, Inc., located in Hermitage, Pa., conspired with each other and other persons to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by intentionally failing to report cash earnings of the business in each of the calendar years 2005 through 2008, thereby avoiding the payment of income tax due and owing on such earnings. The indictment further charges Barbara Graven and Eric Graven with preparing and filing, or aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing, false individual and corporate income tax returns for each of the calendar years 2006 through 2008.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 23 years in prison, a fine of $1,750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
