POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION CONTRACTOR CONVICTED OF TAX FRAUD
Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Daniel W. Auer, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, announced Friday’s conviction of defendant John A. Gullett, of Parkland, FL, on four counts of filing a false tax return. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 2, 2010 before U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas.
According to the four-count criminal Indictment and evidence introduced at trial, Gullett knowingly and willfully subscribed to false Form 1040 Individual Income Tax Returns, statements, and documents for tax years 2002 through 2005. Gullett under-reported his gross receipts from 2002 through 2005, and filed the tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service knowing that the returns contained materially false information, in violation of Title 26, United States code, Section 7206(1).
According to statements made in court and evidence presented during the trial, Gullet contracted with the Broward County Police Benevolent Association (BCPBA) and the Dade County Police Benevolent Association (DCPBA) to solicit local businesses to buy advertisements in a book that Gullett published listing local businesses. The book was distributed to PBA members. In exchange, Gullett paid BCPBA and DCPBA between $3,000 and $5,000 per month and kept whatever funds he raised in excess of these amounts. Defendant Gullett failed to report approximately $3 million of income received from this operation from 2002 through 2005. Gullett used these monies to purchase a personal residence in Parkland, FL, and various luxury automobiles, including two Ferraris and a Lamborghini.
At sentencing, Gullett faces a maximum penalty of three years of imprisonment for each count of filing a false income tax return.
Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertha R. Mitrani.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
