Minneapolis-Area Attorney Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crimes

A Minnesota man pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay to the IRS employment taxes withheld from the wages of his law firm’s employees.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2013 and 2015 through 2019, Kassius Orlando Benson owned and operated Kassius Benson Law P.A., a law practice in Hennepin County, Minnesota. During each of these years, Benson’s firm had employees, paid them wages and withheld income and Social Security and Medicare taxes from their wages. Benson, however, despite knowing of his obligation to do so, did not file the legally-required quarterly employment tax returns or pay the withholdings to the IRS. In total, he caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $213,000.

Benson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge of the Tax Division is prosecuting the case.