Michigan Man Guilty of Making False Statements to IRS, DOJ Says

The jury deliberated for about four hours before returning the verdict, concluding a five-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Gerald Rosen .

The 10-count indictment charged that for the calendar years 2000, 2002,2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 Hendrickson filed IRS Form 1040 (income tax returns) and/or IRS Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) stating under penalties of perjury that he had received no wages in those years. The indictment indicated that he had in fact received wages in those years in varying amounts. The evidence produced at trial established that Hendrickson had in fact received taxable wages and that his claims to the contrary were knowingly false. In reaching the verdicts, the jury rejected Hendrickson's defense that he had a good faith belief that his statements regarding his lack of wages were true.

The charges are felonies and carry a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing of Hendrickson is scheduled for February 9, 2010.

US Attorney Berg praised the work of the criminal investigators from the Internal Revenue Service for their efforts in bringing this case.

This case was prosecuted by Mark Daly, an attorney with the Department of Justice Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Leibson.