Former Louisville Business Owner Charged With Failure To File Income Tax Returns And Tax Evasion

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. today announced the indictment this week, of former Louisville business owner Lawrence P. Tatem, for willful failure to file federal income tax returns during a four-year period and evasion of payment of taxes, penalties, and assessments totaling $533,498 from a two-year period.

According to the indictment, Tatem, 50, willfully attempted to evade and defeat the payment of a large part of the federal income tax, penalties, and interest due by him to the United States of America, for the calendar years 2002 through 2004, totaling approximately $533,498, by concealing his assets; by changing the names and locations of his rehabilitation businesses; by placing his businesses in the names of nominees J.S., D.R., and M.Z.; by closing bank accounts at Republic Bank after the Internal Revenue Service attempted to levy funds from the accounts, and opening new bank accounts at Chase Bank under different names; and by operating in cash without keeping proper records of cash transactions.       

Further, Tatem is charged with willful failure to file federal income tax returns for calendar years 2010 to 2013. Specifically, during the calendar year 2010, Tatem received gross income of approximately $252,860 and failed to file a federal tax return by April 15, 2011. During calendar year 2011, Tatem received gross income of approximately $45,353 and failed to file a federal tax return by April 15, 2012. During calendar year 2012, Tatem received gross income of approximately $199,067 and failed to file a federal income tax return by April 15, 2013.  During the calendar year 2013, Tatem received gross income of approximately $120,994 and failed to file a federal income tax return by April 15, 2014.

If convicted at trial, Tatem could be sentenced to no more than nine years in prison, fined up to $225,000, and serve up to three years of supervised release.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Gregory and is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. tatem_lawerence_charged_8-18-16.pdf

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The charge of a person by Federal Indictment is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty