A Florida businessman has been charged with serious crimes related to not paying his taxes, including tax evasion, failure to file tax returns, and not paying taxes he owed over a period of years. This indictment was issued by a grand jury in Jacksonville, Florida. Phillip Mak, a self-employed businessman from Jacksonville, is accused of evading nearly $2 million in federal taxes.
What Is Phillip Mak Accused Of?
Phillip Mak, from Jacksonville, Florida, is accused of failing to pay taxes on the income he earned from 2008 to 2020. During that time, Mak earned a total of approximately $10.3 million, but he allegedly didn’t pay any federal taxes on that income. According to the indictment, except for two years, Mak did not file tax returns for these years.
The IRS, which is the government agency that collects taxes, says Mak owes about $1.9 million in unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest. The tax years in question are 2008, 2009, 2012-2015, and 2019-2020. These are the years for which Mak did not pay his taxes or file the proper paperwork.
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How Did Phillip Mak Try to Hide His Money?
Instead of paying the taxes he owed, the indictment claims that Phillip Mak tried to hide his money and make it difficult for the IRS to collect the money from him. One of the ways he allegedly did this was by transferring $1 million in cash to his domestic partner’s bank accounts. This was likely done to make it look like he didn’t have the money he owed in taxes.
But that’s not all. After he was questioned by IRS investigators, Mak is accused of trying to hide even more assets. He allegedly transferred ownership of his home to his domestic partner’s trust, a legal arrangement that can hide the ownership of property. Mak also created a special entity, called a nominee entity, which he used to deposit his income into a bank account under that entity’s name, rather than his own.
These actions were allegedly taken in an attempt to make it harder for the IRS to collect the taxes Mak owed.
What Are the Charges Against Phillip Mak?
Phillip Mak has been indicted on multiple charges related to tax evasion. The most serious charge is tax evasion, which is a federal crime. If convicted of this charge, Mak could face up to five years in prison. In addition, he faces other charges for not filing tax returns and not paying his taxes. For each of these charges, he could be sentenced to up to one year in prison.
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A federal district court judge will determine the sentence if Mak is found guilty, based on guidelines set by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
The investigation into Mak’s actions is being handled by the IRS Criminal Investigation team, which specializes in investigating people suspected of committing financial crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd and Michael Jones from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cannizzaro for the Middle District of Florida.
An indictment is just an accusation, and Phillip Mak is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. He has not been convicted yet, and the legal process will decide if the charges are true. This case highlights the serious consequences of tax evasion and hiding assets, which can lead to prison time. The IRS ensures people follow the law and pay their taxes. The court will determine the outcome, and Mak will have the chance to defend himself. For now, he is still under investigation.
