Former Colorado Resident Convicted in Pennsylvania of Conspiring to Defraud the Internal Revenue Service

WASHINGTON – Donald Turner (aka Donald Wood), formerly of Littleton, Colo., was found guilty of conspiring to defraud the United States by a federal jury in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in Erie, Pa., the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. The Honorable Maurice B. Cohill, Senior District Judge, presided over the case.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Turner promoted and sold memberships in First American Research (FAR) and a book entitled, “Tax Free! How the Super Rich Do It.” In 1991, Turner sold the program to Daniel Leveto, a Meadville, Pa., veterinarian. As part of the program, Leveto utilized various methods to conceal his income from the IRS as directed by Turner. One of these methods included the purported sale of Leveto’s veterinary business to an alleged offshore entity called Center Company. Leveto actually retained dominion and control over the veterinary business. The object of the conspiracy was to conceal and prevent the IRS from discovering and identifying income received by the Levetos and assets held by them. In June of 2005, a jury convicted Leveto of all counts, and he was subsequently sentenced to 46 months in prison.

Turner faces a maximum punishment of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Cohill scheduled sentencing for Jan. 18, 2012.

The case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Justice Department Tax Division trial attorneys Andrew Young and Thomas Voracek.

More information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/tax .