KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In a stunning revelation of financial chicanery, William Patrick Vogt, 39, the head honcho of By The Blade, LLC, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a colossal $544,000 tax fraud scheme.
Vogt bypassed the grand jury process, opting instead for a direct plea before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs on charges of false statements on a tax return. His misdeeds spanned three years, from 2013 to 2015, and resulted in a staggering federal tax loss of $468,587.
As the owner of By The Blade, LLC, a Parkville-based lawn and landscape company, Vogt strategically underreported business receipts on his individual federal income tax returns. His cunning scheme involved depositing business funds into personal accounts, cashing checks meant for the business, and selectively reporting only the receipts he saw fit to deposit into the business bank account. When the IRS came knocking, Vogt was caught in a web of lies, providing false statements to the revenue agent and others.
But Vogt’s fraudulent activities didn’t stop at federal taxes. He also understated his income on Missouri state tax returns, leading to an additional $75,712 in unreported taxes. The total loss to both federal and state coffers stands at a shocking $544,299.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Vogt must now pay back the IRS the sum of $468,587 and the state of Missouri $75,712. The severity of his crime earns him up to three years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing is scheduled following a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case has been prosecuted with vigor by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney and investigated to the fullest by IRS-Criminal Investigation. Vogt’s misdeeds serve as a stark reminder of the consequences when individuals cross the line into white-collar crime.
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- Columbia Tax Preparer Keithley Gets 2 Years for $291K Fraud · Missouri
- Semere Tsehaye Sentenced for $1.03 Million Tax Fraud · Illinois
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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