Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Chillicothe, Mo., husband and wife pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges involving the wife’s embezzlement of nearly $4 million from her employer and their jointly filing a false income tax return not claiming the income from the wire fraud scheme…
Donna and Terrance Preszler each admitted that they failed to report the fraudulently obtained funds on their federal income tax returns for tax years 2007 through 2012. During that time, the Preszlers filed their federal income tax returns jointly and should have paid $1,236,690 in taxes on their unreported fraudulent income from BDA. For example, the Preszlers claimed their income in 2012 was only $46,863. Including the embezzled funds, according to today’s plea agreements, their income was actually $851,863 and they should have paid an additional $253,641 in taxes.
Donna Preszler utilized her role as accounting manager to add false and fictitious non-taxable payments, such as expense reimbursements, to herself. Donna Preszler transferred approximately $3,912,000 in fraudulent payments to herself and her family.
Donna Preszler also added false and fictitious overtime hours and overtime pay to her weekly payroll. Donna Preszler received $137,121 in unauthorized overtime payments to herself from November 2004 through June 2006, which were subject to BDA withholding income taxes.
Donna Preszler concealed her transfers by password protecting her payroll information, creating false and fictitious expense accounts and otherwise manipulating BDA’s payroll and accounting records.
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