Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker today announced the sentencing of DONALD GIBSON, 61, to 33 months in prison for tax evasion and for presenting a fake financial instrument to the U.S. Department of Treasury. GIBSON was convicted on Dec. 2, 2016, following a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minn.
As proven at trial, GIBSON failed to file his 2004 through 2014 individual income tax returns and attempted to evade his income tax liabilities for these years by diverting money to a warehouse bank called MYICIS, cashing over $800,000 in business checks at a check-cashing facility, and submitting fake money orders and bogus financial instruments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). GIBSON also formed Sovereign Christian Mission (SCM), a purported religious organization, as a way to further hide his chiropractic income and pay for his personal expenses. GIBSON used SCM to pay for his groceries, entertainment, dinners, and car repairs. Evidence presented at trial established that while the IRS was auditing his tax returns, and later during the criminal investigation, GIBSON presented a fake financial instrument purporting to be worth $300 million to the IRS and claimed that it paid off his income tax liabilities.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Thompson and Trial Attorney Ryan Raybould of the Tax Division.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Defendant Information:
DONALD GIBSON, 61
Lindstrom, Minn.
Convicted:
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Tax evasion, 5 counts
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Fictitious obligation, 1 count
Sentenced:
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33 months in prison
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Two years of supervised release
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
