BECKLEY, W.Va. – In a major blow to tax cheats everywhere, a federal jury convicted Christopher Jason Smyth, 48, of Pineville, on Thursday, May 2, 2024, for failing to pay the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated and for obstructing the IRS.
Smyth, the owner of Stat EMS, LLC, was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them to the IRS. However, he did not fully pay the taxes to the IRS for two quarters in 2016, instead using the money for personal expenses and transferring funds to businesses held by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accrued approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.
When interviewed by an IRS revenue officer attempting to collect Smyth’s unpaid tax debts, Smyth lied about his bank accounts and denied any involvement with other businesses. In reality, he regularly deposited his paychecks into an account in a relative’s name and had signature authority over several other business accounts.
The jury found Smyth guilty of two counts of failing to pay over taxes for two quarters in 2016 and one count of obstructing the IRS related to its efforts to collect the unpaid taxes from Smyth. Smyth is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4 and faces up to five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count and three years in prison for obstructing the IRS.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia announced the conviction. IRS Criminal Investigation led the case, with Assistant Chief David Zisserson, and Trial Attorneys Kavitha Bondada and Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Goes of the Southern District of West Virginia, prosecuting the case.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial. Smyth’s conviction serves as a reminder that tax evasion and obstruction of justice will not be tolerated. As the IRS continues to crack down on tax cheats, it’s clear that the justice system is working to hold those accountable who think they can get away with it.
Related Federal Cases
- Tax Pro Bilked IRS for $1.2M, Gets 18 Months · Virginia
- Michael and Jeanette Taylor Guilty in $1.4M Tax Fraud · Kentucky
- Morgantown Couple Pleads Guilty in $8,505 Tax Scheme · West Virginia
- Brandon J. Black Pleads Guilty in $630K Tax Fraud Scheme · West Virginia
- Tax Fraud Fugitive Ramos Faces More Time · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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