Saturday, March 26, 2011

Four charged in Illinois fraud case

Robert Todd McKinney, 42, Belinda Cheri McKinney, 43, John Quinn McKinney, 39, and Chamethele McKinney, 35, were charged in a recently unsealed indictment handed down by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in East St. Louis, Illinois, on February 24, 2011. The alleged violations took place between April, 2000, and December, 2008, in Madison County, Illinois. The arraignment was held on March 11, 2011.

Robert Todd McKinney was indicted for Conspiracy in Count 1, Tax Evasion in Count 2, and Making False Statements in Counts 4, 7, and 8. Belinda Cheri McKinney was charged with Conspiracy in Count 1 and Mortgage Loan Fraud in Count 9. John Quinn McKinney was charged with Conspiracy in Count 1, Tax Evasion in Count 3, and Making False Statements in Counts 5, 6, and 7. Chamethele McKinney was charged with Conspiracy in Count 1, Mortgage Loan Fraud in Count 10, and Making False Statements in Count 11.

According to the court-filed indictment, Robert Todd McKinney and John Quinn McKinney conspired and attempted to evade the payment of taxes by providing false information to IRS revenue officers, ignoring deadlines and notices provided by the Revenue Officers, and lying to Revenue Officers about their ability to pay taxes owed; and concealing assets which would have enabled them to pay the federal taxes assessed and diverting assets that otherwise were available for the payment of taxes.

Chamethele McKinney and Belinda Cheri McKinney joined the conspiracy with their husbands by concealing income, by setting up nominee bank accounts, and by providing false information on mortgage documents.

Trial has been set for May 9, 2011. If convicted of Conspiracy, each defendant faces a term of imprisonment of up to five (5) years, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of three (3) years. If convicted of Tax Evasion, each defendant faces a term of imprisonment of up to five (5) years, a fine of $100,000 plus the costs of prosecution, and a term of supervised release of three (3) years. If convicted of Making False Statements, each defendant faces a term of imprisonment of up to five (5) years, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of three (3) years. If convicted of Mortgage Loan Fraud, each defendant faces a term of imprisonment of up to thirty (30) years, a fine of $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of five (5) years.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

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