ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Brian Becker, 41, of Webster, NY, pleaded guilty to creating a false document, before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that the Internal Revenue Service levied the wages of Becker and his wife in order to collect $226,000 in unpaid federal income taxes owed by the couple. In September 2013, the defendant created a fraudulent release of levy form and submitted it to his employer and his wife’s employer in order to defeat the IRS levy on their wages. As a result of the fraudulent document, the employers released approximately $17,800 to the Becker’s that should have been paid to the IRS.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Special Agents with the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, acting under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Robert E. O’Malley.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2016 at 3:00 pm before Judge Wolford.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
