Nicholas Franke, Tax Evasion, Missouri 2021

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Tax Evasion Lands St. Louis Attorney 24 Months Behind Bars

A St. Louis attorney has been sentenced to 24 months in prison for tax evasion, after admitting to knowingly filing false tax returns and failing to pay over $300,000 in back taxes.

Nicholas Franke, 58, of St. Louis, Missouri, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday, August 12, 2021, to a 24-month term of imprisonment, followed by a 2-year term of supervised release.

Franke, who operated a solo law practice that generated business revenue, paid himself from those proceeds. However, he filed income tax extension requests for the years 2013-2015, stating zero taxes were due or owed. Franke knew that those statements were false, and he then failed to file tax returns for those years.

As a result of Franke’s actions, he failed to pay more than $300,000 in taxes. The case was investigated by the Criminal Investigative Division of the Internal Revenue Service.

‘Franke was a licensed attorney who knew his duty to file an accurate income tax return and pay his fair share of taxes,’ said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s St. Louis Field Office. ‘He knowingly violated the law and admitted to his conduct through his guilty plea.’

The sentence handed down to Franke serves as a reminder that the IRS will investigate and prosecute individuals who intentionally violate tax laws. ‘This sentence shows that IRS Criminal Investigation will investigate those individuals who intentionally violate tax laws and work with the United States Attorney’s Office to bring these individuals to justice,’ Hatcher added.

Franke’s sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of tax evasion, and the importance of honest and accurate reporting.