A Jacksonville minister has admitted to obstructing the Internal Revenue Service’s efforts to collect his tax debts. Brian Carn, Jr., who led a ministry under several names such as Healing House Ministries, Inc., Brian Carn Ministries, Inc., and Kingdom Culture City Churches, pleaded guilty in federal court.
Court documents reveal that in 2016, Carn filed a tax return for 2015 reporting more than $1.4 million in income and owing over $600,000 in taxes. He did not pay the taxes owed and instead devised a plan to mislead the IRS. When the IRS attempted to collect the unpaid taxes by placing liens on his properties and trying to levy his bank accounts, Carn amended his 2015 return and falsely removed nearly $1.3 million of previously reported income.
To carry out this scheme, Carn hired a new accountant and provided a fictitious, backdated employment agreement stating he earned an annual salary of $120,000 with an additional parsonage allowance of $24,000. He told the accountant this was all the income he received for that year. However, Carn knew that his actual earnings were much higher and represented these lower figures not only to his accountant but also on credit applications and other financial documents.
In subsequent years, Carn continued filing tax returns based on this false agreement, significantly underreporting his income. In 2020, he stopped filing tax returns altogether while still using ministry funds for personal expenses.
When the IRS continued its collection efforts, Carn made false statements and withheld information to hide his assets and income from authorities.
According to prosecutors, “Carn’s obstruction caused a loss to United States of between $550,000 and $1,500,000.” He now faces up to three years in prison.
“Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.”
The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Prosecution is handled by Assistant Deputy Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Max Wilner-Giwerc of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
