ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Marion L. Ledford, 65, of Alamogordo, New Mexico pleaded guilty in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico today to tax evasion for failing to report income embezzled from the non-profit organization where Ledford was a director.
Ledford pleaded guilty to an information charging Ledford with submitting a personal income tax return on April 28, 2016, that substantially underreported Ledford’s taxable income for 2015. According to Ledford’s plea agreement, Ledford was a director for the Robert W. Hamilton Foundation, a non-profit organization providing scholarships to high school graduates in Otero County, New Mexico. Ledford controlled the foundation’s finances without oversight. This allowed Ledford to write $1,785,300 in checks to himself from the foundation’s accounts.
Ledford filed tax returns for 2011 to 2016 that reported some of Ledford’s income but did not report the additional money Ledford embezzled from the foundation by writing the checks. This caused a $629,289 loss in tax revenue for the United States.
Ledford is currently out of custody awaiting sentencing. Ledford faces up to five years in prison. He also agreed to pay $2,414,589 in restitution to the foundation and Internal Revenue Service.
The Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard C. Williams is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
