Michigan Janitorial Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Obstructing the Internal Revenue Laws and Failing to File Tax Return | WPN World People News

A Detroit, Michigan resident, who owned a janitorial service company, pleaded guilty to obstructing the internal revenue laws and failing to file an individual tax return, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

According to the plea agreement and documents filed with the court, from approximately 2001, Braint N. Hall, 52, owned Braint N Hall Inc., which also did business as Sunrise Janitorial Service, Sunrise Janitorial and Maintenance Inc. and Detroit Industrial Cleaners Inc. In approximately 2009, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began auditing Hall for his failure to file individual income tax returns and to determine his income tax liability. Hall admitted that he lied during the audit in 2011 –providing false information about the ownership of his janitorial business, the business’ bank accounts and its client relationships. In an effort to conceal his ownership of the janitorial business, Hall admitted that he caused two relatives to establish nominee entities, which he controlled, to assume the business operations, employees, equipment and client contracts. Despite earning income from these businesses, Hall has not filed individual or corporate income tax returns since 2010.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12 before U.S. District Court Judge David M. Lawson. Hall faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison on the obstruction count and one year in prison on the failure to file count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice