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Date: 03-11-2019

Case Style:

United States of America v. James D. Pieron, Jr.

Case Number: 1:18-cr-20489-TLL-PTM

Judge: Thomas L. Ludington

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (Bay County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Jules M. DePorre and Janet L. Parker

Defendant's Attorney: Kenneth Sasse, Ashley B. Arnett, Mark S. Pendery, Michael L. Minns

Description:




Bay City, MI - Man Found Guilty For Evasion Of Federal Tax Payments

James D. Pieron Jr., a former resident of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, was found guilty on of one count of evasion of payment of his federal income taxes for 2008 and 2009.

The seven-day jury trial was conducted by U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington in Bay City, Michigan.

The jury found that from approximately April of 2009 until July 18, 2018, James D. Pieron Jr. willfully evaded payment of income taxes due and owing by him for the calendar years 2008 and 2009.

Pieron, a U.S. citizen, operated a foreign currency exchange business in Zurich, Switzerland before he moved back to Mount Pleasant, Michigan in 2009. Pieron earned capital gains on a stock sale while living in Switzerland. Pieron wired millions of dollars from Swiss bank accounts to business accounts of his corporate interests in Mount Pleasant. Pieron filed his 2008 and 2009 personal income tax returns in 2011, reporting capital gains from his sale of stock but without paying the taxes he owed on those gains. Instead of paying his taxes, Pieron kept his personal money in his business accountants and purchased luxury items such as an $18,900 custom motorcycle, a $38,000 Steinway piano, and a $139,500 Mercedes SUV for his own use. In 2012, Pieron submitted an installment agreement request to the IRS, acknowledging that he owed $444,880 in taxes for 2007, 2008 and 2009, and claiming that he could only afford to pay $1,500 per month to get current on his taxes.

Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit’s IRS Criminal Investigation, stated, “Our tax system is based on voluntary compliance. Mr. Pieron intentionally failed to pay over his fair share.” Muriel continued, “The jury’s verdict demonstrates that there are consequences for those who willfully evade their taxes."

The maximum penalty for tax evasion is 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of twice the gain or loss.

Pieron’s sentencing hearing currently is set for June 20, 2019.

The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.


ATTEMPT TO EVADE OR DEFEAT TAX
(1)

Outcome: Defendant was found guilty.

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