Many businesses require licenses. In Maryland, you need a license to be a bail bondsmen (I suspect you do in most states). One of the rules in Maryland is that you can’t be a convicted felon if you’re a bail bondsmen.
Milton Tillman Jr. and his son, Milton Tillman III, had a problem. The elder Tillman had a felony conviction, and they were the owners of Four Aces Bail Bonds in Baltimore. The business was doing quite well, but the elder Tillman couldn’t legally run the business. Now, you and I probably would have never gone into the business given that issue. Alternatively, we’d sell the business so that we could be in compliance with the law.
The Tillmans decided that one felony deserved another: They decided not to pay income tax on their business. With the business being profitable, that’s another problem…especially when you owe the IRS somewhere between $400,000 and $1 million. Things only got worse when the government listened in on a conversation where the father described how he was going to hide his running of the business, and how he would transfer money out of the business.
Oops.
Both Tillmans pleaded guilty earlier this year. The elder Tillman pleaded guilty to three counts (filing a false tax return, wire fraud, and working as a bail bondsman as a felon); the younger Tillman faced solely a tax charge and will be able to remain in the bail bond business. The elder Tillman will enjoy 51 months at ClubFed. Both Tillmans will need to make restitution to the IRS of the tax due to the government.