Barbara Doutt Forbes, Tax Evasion, Nevada 2020

Barbara Doutt Forbes, 58, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty today to one count of tax evasion in a federal court in Nevada. This comes after an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation.

According to court documents, Forbes, who owned six pawn shops in North Dakota and South Dakota, directed her employees to delete gold jewelry from the stores' electronic inventory and send it to her in Las Vegas from 2009 to 2012. She then sold the gold jewelry to a refining company in Philadelphia and received a total of $855,116 in exchange. However, Forbes failed to report this income on her tax returns and instead created false bank statements to hide the wire transfers from the IRS.

As a result, Forbes owed the United States $281,388 in income taxes. As part of her plea agreement, Forbes agreed to pay the full amount of owed income taxes back to the IRS.

This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Mickelson is prosecuting the case.

Forbes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey on May 11, 2020. She faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Forbes' actions are a stark reminder of the importance of honesty when it comes to financial matters. Tax evasion is a serious crime that can have severe consequences, including prison time and fines.

As Forbes faces sentencing, the community is left to wonder how someone with a successful business like a pawn shop could engage in such reckless behavior. The case serves as a cautionary tale for anyone who may be tempted to cheat the system.

In a statement, the IRS-Criminal Investigation said, 'Tax evasion is a serious crime that affects us all. We will continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who think they can cheat the system.'

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/pawn-shop-owner-pleads-guilty-tax-evasion