Kansas business owner is guilty of $800,000 tax fraud
A Basehor, Kan., businesswoman pleaded guilty Wednesday to failing to pay more than $800,000 in federal taxes.
Elizabeth Lucero, 53, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of willful failure to collect or pay employment tax.
Lucero owned Sunshine Home Health Care in Basehor, which had 65 to 70 employees.
According to federal prosecutors, the company withheld federal income taxes, Medicare taxes and Social Security taxes from employee’s paychecks from 2007 to 2011 but did not make payments to the IRS.
Against the advice of an accountant, prosecutors said Lucero used company funds for personal expenses, including cash withdrawals at casinos and a $50,000 Cadillac Escalade.
As part of Wednesday’s plea agreement, Lucero will have to pay restitution of $856,784.
Tony Rizzo: 816-234-4435, @trizzkc
This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 4:10 PM with the headline "Kansas business owner is guilty of $800,000 tax fraud."