In December, the US Department of Justice was pushing for jail time for former media broker and station owner Susan Patrick over tax fraud, and now they’ve gotten their wish. Patrick has been sentenced to 15 months in prison by a Maryland federal district court.
US District Judge George L. Russell III also mandated a year of supervised release and ordered Patrick to pay restitution amounting to approximately $3.84 million.
The case against Patrick unfolded after she engaged an accounting firm to prepare accurate business and personal tax returns for the years 2012 through 2014 but failed to file them with the IRS. Even after being prompted by the IRS to submit the unfiled returns, Patrick falsely claimed they had been filed on time.
She later submitted altered tax documents, significantly understating her income by removing over $19.5 million in gross receipts and related income. Her actions were aimed at evading more than $2.5 million in taxes, according to the Department of Justice. Patrick pled guilty to the charges in
Susan Patrick ran the Cody, Wyoming-based brokerage firm Patrick Communications with her husband, Larry Patrick. She says he was unaware of any wrongdoing. Patrick Communications has since been dissolved, with Larry starting a solo brokerage.
Susan still owns half of Legend Communications, the largest radio operator in Wyoming, with Larry owning the rest.
The sentencing on February 20 follows an agreement reached on February 15 regarding the restitution amount.
The case was announced by Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. Assistant Chief Thomas F. Koelbl and Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Tax Division led the prosecution.
Patrick previously addressed the charges, saying, ““I am sincerely sorry for the pain and embarrassment that this is causing my family, friends, and business associates…This is a tax obligation based on a very serious lapse of judgment a decade ago. I am fully ready to be held accountable and to do whatever I can and need to do to make up for my decisions of the past.”
Hunter?