On Monday, August 28, 2017, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg announced that a Detroit, Michigan resident had pleaded guilty to obstructing the internal revenue laws and failing to file an individual tax return. The defendant was the owner of a janitorial service company.
According to the plea agreement and documents submitted in the case, 52-year-old Briant N. Hall owned Briant N Hall Inc, from 2011 and did business as Sunrise Janitorial Service, Detroit Industrial Cleaners Inc., and Sunrise Janitorial and Maintenance Inc. Around 2009, the IRS initiated an audit of Hall for failing to file tax returns and to determine his overall tax liability.
Hall admitted that he lied during the audit in 2011. At the time, he provided false information about the ownership of his business, business bank accounts, and its client relationships. In an attempt to hide his ownership of the business, Hall caused two relatives to establish nominee entities. The entities, which were controlled by Hall, assumed the business operations, equipment, employees and client contracts. Hall had failed to file an individual or corporate income tax return since 2010.
United States District Court Judge David M. Lawson will sentence Hall on December 12, 2017. Hall faces a maximum sentence of three years for the obstruction charge and a year in prison for the failure to file charge. He will also likely face a supervised release period, restitution and monetary penalties.