Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
Brian Fleury, a 64-year-old resident of Napa County, has admitted guilt in federal court for aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return for the year 2016. Fleury and his spouse own Metropolitan Wines, LLC, along with several vineyards in Napa Valley.
Court documents reveal that from 2014 to 2018, Fleury deliberately underreported income earned by Metropolitan Wines to his tax preparer. He instructed some customers to make payments directly to him rather than the winery. These transactions were marked as "OTB," or "off the books," on invoices. The total unreported income amounted to $822,450 over these years.
Fleury also confessed to evading federal excise taxes on brandy from 2007 through 2019. He filed misleading reports with the United States Department of the Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), falsely claiming no wine had been distilled or spirits sold. In reality, he transferred thousands of gallons of wine for distillation and sold brandy under the name “9 Fiddy.”
The total tax loss caused by Fleury's actions is estimated at $211,092.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents Linda Nguyen and Kareem Carter, and Anthony P. Gledhill from TTB.
Fleury pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in preparing a false tax return under 26 U.S.C. § 7206(2). This charge carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment. Sentencing is set for August 13, 2025, before Senior U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen L. Gilbert is leading the prosecution with support from Kathy Tat following an investigation by IRS-CI and TTB, assisted by the FBI.
