Press Release
WEST PALM BEACH CITY COMMISSION JAMES L. EXLINE CHARGED WITH FILING FALSE TAX RETURN
March 6, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
James L. Exline has been charged with filing a false individual tax return for calendar year 2004. Exline is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, March 7, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. before United States Magistrate Judge Linnea R. Johnson. If convicted, Exline faces up to three years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Through an Information, the United States Attorney charges that Exline failed to report $50,000 in income paid to him by a Palm Beach County land developer. The payment was for past and future real estate commissions, and for land planning services related to a development being proposed by the land developer. Exline directed the land developer to pay the $50,000 to a third party, who then paid Exline. At some point after the $50,000 payment, and while the proposed development was pending in the City of West Palm Beach, Exline met with City staff members about land use and planning issues related to the development. During the course of these meetings, Exline did not disclose that he had been retained by the developer. The development was not in Exline's City Commission district.
United States Attorney Acosta stated, "County and city commissioners are not above they law. Commissioner Exline had an obligation to report all his income and to pay his fair share of taxes, just like those individuals he represented. We cannot tolerate misconduct or corruption from our public officials, and we in the U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to pursue those matters aggressively."
Acting Special Agent In Charge Charles E. Hunter stated, "No one is above the law. Honest taxpayers deserve to know that people who commit tax crimes will be held accountable. This case sends a clear message that the IRS is committed to vigorously enforcing the tax laws."
Special Agent in Charge Jonathan I. Solomon stated, "We expect the politicians we vote into office to abide by the same rules that ordinary citizens have to follow. Commissioner James Exline made up his own rules, for his own benefit and with that decision, his integrity vanished. As we have demonstrated today and in the past, the FBI has a firm commitment to investigate misconduct of elected officials and it will remain a top priority for the FBI."
Today's case was announced by R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Charles E. Hunter, Acting Special Agent In Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Barry E. Krischer, Office of the State Attorney, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit. Mr. Acosta commended both the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their outstanding work in this case. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John S. Kastrenakes and Bruce E. Reinhart.
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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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