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Date: 09-03-2019
Case Style:
United States of America v. Terra Ferguson
Case Number: 1:19-cr-00161-CCE
Judge: Catherine C. Eagles
Court: United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina (Guilford County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: Mara Strier and Alexander Effendi
Defendant's Attorney:
Call Kent Morlan at 888-354-4529 if you need a criminal defense tax fraud lawyer in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Description:
Greensboro, NC - North Carolina Office Manager Sentenced To Prison for Employment Tax Fraud
A New London, North Carolina, woman was sentenced to 14 months in prison for federal employment tax fraud.
According to court documents, from approximately 1992 through at least September 2016, Terra Ferguson was employed as an office manager at a pediatric office in Randolph County, North Carolina. As office manager, Ferguson had complete control over the office’s finances. Ferguson was also responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) payroll taxes that were withheld from the wages of the business’ employees. From March 2011 through September 2016, Ferguson withheld approximately $78,937 in payroll taxes from employee paychecks and willfully failed to pay that money to the IRS. Ferguson also failed to pay $35,472 for the employer’s share of employment taxes. Instead of paying these taxes to the IRS, Ferguson paid her personal credit card bills, funded personal business ventures involving a mountain cabin rental and a bar, paid for personal vacations, and issued checks to herself totaling $1.4 million, all from the business’ bank account.
Additionally, Ferguson prepared false individual income tax returns for her employer that falsely underreported gross receipts and inflated mortgage interest deductions, causing an additional tax loss of over $250,000. The total tax loss resulting from Ferguson’s fraudulent conduct is approximately $374,101.
On May 17, 2019, Ferguson pleaded guilty to one count of failing to collect, account for, or pay over payroll taxes for the employment tax quarter ending Dec. 31, 2015.
In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, Ferguson was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $374,101 in restitution to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case.
Charge:
26:7202 Failure to collect/pay over taxes
(1)
Outcome: 08/27/2019 Minute Entry for proceedings held before JUDGE CATHERINE C. EAGLES: Sentencing hearing held on 8/27/19 for TERRA DAWN FERGUSON (1) on Count 1. Mara Strier, DOJ Tax Division, present for Government and Attorney Robert O'Hale present as counsel for defendant. Defendant present on bond. Court adopts Presentence Report as written and adopts recommendations in full. Defendant to self report to United States Marshal in Greensboro or the designated facility on 10/21/19 at noon. (Court Reporter Lori Russell.) (Sanders, Marlene) (Entered: 08/27/2019)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: