Two stories tonight, one from Tulsa and one from England; they both illustrate Bozo behavior (or should I spell that behaviour) and one adds some British understatement.
First, let’s go to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cynthia Michelle Odom was in state prison for “financial crimes.” She decided that a good way to earn some money was to file tax returns for eleven individuals that she befriended while in prison. Well, if she was being helpful that wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But the truth was quite different: She invented income numbers and somehow all those returns got refunds. Did I mention that she hadn’t asked any of her “friends” for permission to file those returns? Presumably the IRS discovered the fraud and identity theft when one of her victims filed their own return. She used refund anticipation loans from various banks (defrauding them) and, of course, the actual refunds defrauded the IRS. She was sentenced to 8 1/2 years at ClubFed, must make restitution of about $128,000, and pay a $2,000 fine. On the bright side she’ll have plenty of time to make some new “friends….”
Let’s cross over the Atlantic and head to Sheffield, England. John Barrett and Edward Kirby-Dorsey ran the Omega Sauna. Now what I consider a sauna is something like this:
Well, this sauna was a bit different. Quite a bit different. The police raided the Sauna and thirteen people were arrested for, “…suspicion of conspiracy to live off immoral earnings.” I like the British way of describing prostitution.
The police then raided the home of Mr. Barrett and found safes containing £270,000. Inland Revenue (the British tax agency) investigated and they found that the true revenues of the business weren’t being reported. The owners were using American methods of avoiding taxation: false books, offshore trusts, and lying on their tax returns. These methods worked just as well as they do in the US when the participants are caught—the two participants pleaded guilty. Mr. Barrett must pay tax of £258,000, a non-payment of tax surcharge of £45,500, prosecution costs of £1,500, defense costs of £10,000, and serve one year in prison. Mr. Kirby-Dorsey’s sentencing was postponed because of his health.