Press Release
MONROE COUNTY CPA PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX CHARGES
June 3, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael E. Yasofsky, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, announced today that defendant Orlando Benjamin Roche, Jr., 57, of Marathon, Florida, pled guilty to a two-count Information charging him with failing to pay Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and withholding taxes and failing to file individual income tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 7202 and 7203.
The Information charged Roche, a licensed Certified Public Accountant who conducted business under the name Benjamin Roche, CPA, with failing to account for and pay federal employment taxes due and owing for the fourth quarter of 2003. The Information also charged Roche with failing to file an income tax return for 2003, knowing that he had received gross income of approximately $357,000.
As part of the plea, Roche agreed to relinquish his CPA license and pay $100,000 towards his total federal tax liability prior to sentencing. In addition, Roche will file amended tax returns and cooperate with the IRS in its determination, assessment, and collection of income taxes relating to the years 2001 through 2004. Sentencing has been scheduled for August 13, 2008 at 1:00 p.m.
Mr. Acosta commended the efforts of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joan Silverstein.
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.
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