PORTLAND, OREGON – William Cleveland Thompson, age 62, of Newberg, Oregon, pled guilty today in U. S. District Court to one count of Evading the Payment of Federal Income Taxes for the 1993, 1994 and 1995 tax years. Thompson admitted that the amount of tax loss for those years is approximately $159,918. Sentencing is set for March 26, 2007 before U. S. District Judge Anna J. Brown.
Thompson was the owner and operator of a mail order divorce service business, which he operated under many business names beginning in the early 1980s. Thompson advertised his business using periodicals throughout the United States. Customers contacted the business using toll-free numbers, and fill-in-the-blank” divorce packages were sent to customers COD through the U. S. Postal Service.
Thompson used individuals and nominees for business and bank account records in order to conceal his ownership of the business and his receipt of income. Thompson has not filed tax returns since 1992. Investigation established that substantial tax is due and owing for the tax years 1993-1995 as noted above.
"Income tax evasion is not a victimless crime,” said Nick Henley, the Acting IRS Special Agent in Charge for the Seattle Field Office, which oversees Oregon. “When someone cheats on their taxes, the rest of us have to make up the difference. We should all pay our fair share.”
The maximum sentence which can be imposed on Thompson is five years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, at least two years, but not more than three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division in Portland, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lance Caldwell.
For additional information, please contact Public Affairs Officer Diane Peterson at the United States Attorney’s Office at 503-727-1066.
