A Missoula accountant has admitted to defrauding clients and obstructing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). William Arthur Clawson, 54, appeared in court for an arraignment where he pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and corrupt endeavor to obstruct and impede the administration of internal revenue laws. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
Clawson faces significant penalties, including a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for the wire fraud charge. For the corrupt endeavor charge, he could face up to five years in prison, another $250,000 fine, and three additional years of supervised release.
The proceedings were overseen by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy. Sentencing is scheduled for June 24 after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Clawson has been released pending further legal actions.
A plea agreement mandates that Clawson pay full restitution amounting to no less than $1,158,811.40 to his victims.
According to government allegations from about 2016 to 2021, Clawson used his businesses—Quantum Business Solutions and Endeavor Financial Insights—to defraud clients involved in the cash-intensive medical marijuana industry across Montana, Washington, and Oklahoma. He promised tax assessments and received cash payments intended for taxes but used only a small portion for their intended purpose while diverting most funds for personal use.
Further allegations state that between 2019 and 2020 one client came under IRS scrutiny due to unpaid taxes. When contacted by an IRS officer as part of tax collection efforts, Clawson instructed the company not to communicate with the IRS officer claiming he would resolve the issue himself. He falsely informed the IRS that the company faced cash flow issues affecting its ability to pay taxes while making other false statements on behalf of his client.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office following an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation.
