BOSTON - The former owner of a mortgage brokerage firm was sentenced to federal prison today for failing to file a tax report.
Michael Hansen, 48, of Dover, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denise Casper to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release and a $4,000 fine. He was also ordered to forfeit an additional $200,000. Hansen pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or attempting to cause failure to file Form 8300.
In 2009, Hansen was the owner of a mortgage brokerage firm and for many years, was a business associate of Boston attorney Robert George. Sometime in 2009, Hansen had conversations with George, discussing the fact that the defendant’s business was experiencing financial difficulties and that he needed cash. George told Hansen about a former client of his who wanted to exchange his cash for checks. George agreed to put the two men together but told Hansen that he wanted a piece of whatever money the defendant received as a fee for exchanging the cash for checks. Hansen agreed to meet with George’s former client and exchange the cash for checks. Hansen also agreed to give George a fee for this service.
On Dec.17, 2009 and April 15, 2010, a cooperating witness, a former client of George, met with Hansen. At those meetings, the cooperating witness gave Hansen a total of $200,000. Hansen wrote two checks payable to the cooperating witness’s company for $80,000 each, totaling $160,000. Hansen kept a total of $40,000 and later paid George $20,000 as a fee.
Since, Hansen received $10,000 or more in cash, he was required to fill out a form 8300. Hansen was engaged in a business that he knew was heavily regulated, yet he deliberately did not seek to learn any of the reporting requirements regarding the receipt of large amounts of cash. Hansen did not file the Form 8300, or any other form, purposefully evading any reporting requirements.
Evidence in the case, also included consensually recorded telephone conversations and in person meetings which were consensually recorded and videotaped between Hansen, the cooperating witness, and George, as well as toll records and other financial documents.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Kevin Lane, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Boston Field Division and William Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura J. Kaplan and Zachary R. Hafer of Ortiz’s Strike Force and Public Corruption Units.
