Press Release
JUPITER RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX FRAUD AND TO MISUSE OF A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD
April 17, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael Yasofsky Jr., Special in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation Division, Roland H. Maye, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Division (FBI), announce that defendant Ernest Earl Erbe, Jr., a/k/a Richard Allen Dixon, 46, of Jupiter, Florida, pled guilty today in West Palm Beach, Florida, before United States Magistrate Judge Ann E.Vitunac to filing a false individual income tax return with the IRS, for tax year 2003, in violation of Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7206(1), and to misusing a Social Security account number, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(A).
The Information charges that Erbe intentionally failed to report tax due and owing in the amount of approximately $57,912, on his 2003 individual income tax return. According to statements made in court, Erbe was the 100% owner of Fuller Asset Management (Fuller), a closely held company that purchased HUD real estate properties, rehabilitated them, and resold them. During 2003, Fuller sold a real estate property in Kansas and then disbursed approximately $290,000 in taxable income to Erbe. On or about October 7, 2005, Erbe filed a 2003 individual federal tax return and did not report the $290,000 of taxable income received from Fuller.
The defendant was further charged with intentionally misusing a social security account number, which he fraudulently obtained under the name of "Richard Allen Dixon." Erbe filed his 2003 individual income tax return under the name "Richard Dixon."
A sentencing date has not been scheduled at this time. At sentencing, Erbe faces up to three (3) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for filing a false tax return and up to five (5) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for misusing a social security account number.
Mr. Acosta commended the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their investigative efforts in this case, and thanked the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and the Jupiter Police Department for their cooperation in this matter. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bruce E. Reinhart.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Technical comments about this website can be e-mailed to the Webmaster. PLEASE NOTE: The United States Attorney's Office does not respond to non-technical inquiries made to this website. If you wish to make a request for information, you may contact our office at 305-961-9001, or you may send a written inquiry to the United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida, 99 NE 4th Street, Miami, Fl. 33132.