Frank L. Brunetti
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201-896-7061 fbrunetti@sh-law.comAuto Mogul James Pflueger Back in Court on Tax Fraud Charges
Author: Frank L. Brunetti|March 15, 2013
Auto Mogul James Pflueger Back in Court on Tax Fraud Charges
Retired automobile magnate James “Jimmy” Pflueger will return to federal court on tax law violations that include several counts of tax fraud.
Pflueger is being accused of using business assets for personal gain, falsely reporting his income on his tax returns in Hawaii and California, and hiding his assets overseas. The 86-year-old allegedly misconstrued the profits he made on the sale of his San Diego, California, commercial property in order to secure more funding for legal judgments in an unrelated court case. Further, prosecutors argue that he also lied about payments made from his business, Pflueger Inc., that were used to cover personal expenses between 2003 and 2006.
The case may involve complex and sophisticated methods of prosecution due to a number of witness on both sides of the dispute, according to the Hawaii Reporter. For example, Pflueger’s estranged wife, Nancy testified that her husband paid all of her personal expenses after her bills were sent to the car dealerships – either Pflueger Acura or Pflueger Honda. She also testified that Pflueger had their joint tax returns prepared without her knowledge or signature on them, according to the news source. As a result of these allegations, the court is considering calling in a handwriting expert to determine if the returns were forged.
Jimmy Pflueger has plead not guilty to the charges, and claims that his accountant and dealership committed the tax crimes without his knowledge or participation. However, some family members and people close to the retired auto dealer – such as Pflueger’s son, Charles Alan, who runs the family business – have already pleaded guilty to similar charges, the newspaper reports. As a result, this may hurt Pflueger’s claims of innocence.
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Auto Mogul James Pflueger Back in Court on Tax Fraud Charges
Author: Frank L. Brunetti
Retired automobile magnate James “Jimmy” Pflueger will return to federal court on tax law violations that include several counts of tax fraud.
Pflueger is being accused of using business assets for personal gain, falsely reporting his income on his tax returns in Hawaii and California, and hiding his assets overseas. The 86-year-old allegedly misconstrued the profits he made on the sale of his San Diego, California, commercial property in order to secure more funding for legal judgments in an unrelated court case. Further, prosecutors argue that he also lied about payments made from his business, Pflueger Inc., that were used to cover personal expenses between 2003 and 2006.
The case may involve complex and sophisticated methods of prosecution due to a number of witness on both sides of the dispute, according to the Hawaii Reporter. For example, Pflueger’s estranged wife, Nancy testified that her husband paid all of her personal expenses after her bills were sent to the car dealerships – either Pflueger Acura or Pflueger Honda. She also testified that Pflueger had their joint tax returns prepared without her knowledge or signature on them, according to the news source. As a result of these allegations, the court is considering calling in a handwriting expert to determine if the returns were forged.
Jimmy Pflueger has plead not guilty to the charges, and claims that his accountant and dealership committed the tax crimes without his knowledge or participation. However, some family members and people close to the retired auto dealer – such as Pflueger’s son, Charles Alan, who runs the family business – have already pleaded guilty to similar charges, the newspaper reports. As a result, this may hurt Pflueger’s claims of innocence.
