Video Game Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion, Faces Five Years in Pr

[Zwackery]

http://www.gamepolitics.com/2014/04/02/video-game-store-owner-pleads-guilty-tax-evasion-faces-five-years-prison#.U0NOd1feTY8

 

According to news channel ABC 6, 49-year-old Lisa L. Harper (formerly) from Dublin, Ohio, has pled guilty to one count of committing income tax evasion with the Internal Revenue Service for the 2008 income tax year. Harper could face a maximum of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation from Cincinnati Field Office announced the guilty plea entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Preston Deavers.

According to court records, between 2006 and 2010, Lisa Harper owned and operated a video game retail business called Westpointe Video Games in Columbus, Ohio.

For tax years 2006 through 2009, Harper filed individual income tax returns with the IRS, along with a form Schedule C, (Profit or Loss From Business) for Westpointe Video Games. According to the court records, she "willfully underreported" her business’s gross receipts. For the 2008 tax year, Harper underreported the gross receipts of Westpointe Video Games by approximately $232,945, which resulted in a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $68,814.

In total, for the 2006 through 2009 income tax years, Harper underreported the gross receipts of Westpointe Video Games by approximately $700,000, which resulted in a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $199,950.

Harper was released on bond pending her sentencing hearing at a date to be determined by the court.

"With the April 15 tax deadline looming, it is important for people to have confidence that when they pay their taxes, their neighbors and co-workers are doing the same," said Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. "Tax evasion is not a victimless crime. Individuals who corruptly violate the income tax laws to further their business interests and intentionally evade paying their fair share of taxes undermine public confidence in our tax system and create an unfair businesses advantage compared to those that play by the rules."

[ApolloBoy]

Um OK.

[The Usotsuki]

It's the big boys like GE who corrupt the system more than mom and pop shops like this...

[bennybingo]

"For the 2008 tax year, Harper underreported the gross receipts of Westpointe Video Games by approximately $232,945, which resulted in a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $68,814."

 

Underreported by a quarter of a mil??? God knows what they actually did report! I guess they weren't doing too bad for a "mom and pop" video game shop....they shouldn't have gotten greedy. You can't mess around with the IRS.

[bennybingo]

It's the big boys like GE who corrupt the system more than mom and pop shops like this...

I would agree. At the same time, If you purchase something at a mom and pop shop, you pay sales tax. In turn, they need to pay their income tax...that is just how it works. Who else is going to pay for all the free cheese!!!

[+Charlie Cat]

Hi guys,

 

All for the love of the money and video games!

 

 

Anthony...

[BassGuitari]

 

All for the love of the money and video games!

 

 

Seems more like just money in this case.

[+cvga]

I've been in that store! It's called Game On now but is identical to when it was Westpointe.

[sprazzi]

In Italy she would be in politics right now

[godslabrat]

In Italy she would be in politics right now

 

This thread should be moved to politics. :-) There is literally nothing I can say about this that won't be very colored by my political views.

[Rhomaios]

It's the big boys like GE who corrupt the system more than mom and pop shops like this...

 

I dunno, it's probably turtles corruption all the way down.