Psychiatrist sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax evasion

A psychiatrist from Oregon, Ohio, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon for the Northern District of Ohio, and Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. 

According to court records, from as early as 2005, Sandra Vonderembse failed to pay taxes and filed and caused to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service false and fraudulent tax returns that included false statements regarding her income and the amount of tax due and owing.  Additionally, from 2009 through 2011, Vonderembse falsely claimed to have no taxable income and to owe no taxes, despite earning more than $240,000 each year while working as a psychiatrist.  Vonderembse used nominee entities to conceal income from the IRS, and sent fake financial instruments to the IRS in purported payment of her taxes.  In total, from 2005 through 2011, she attempted to evade more than $360,000 in income tax liabilities.

“Tax evasion is not a victimless crime,” Enstrom said. “We all pay when others swindle the government.  Tax evasion and tax fraud of this magnitude and with this degree of trickery, dishonesty and deceit, deserves to be punished.  The IRS and Department of Justice remain determined and vigilant in ferreting out such schemes to cheat the honest taxpayers.”

In addition to the prison term imposed, Vonderembse was ordered to serve one year of supervised release and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $565,128. 

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Rendon commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah Hood and Trial Attorneys Jack Morgan and Jeffrey McLellan of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.