Roger Stone Is Sued as U.S. Government Alleges Unpaid Taxes -- Update
April 16 2021 - 9:19PM
Dow Jones News
By Byron Tau
The U.S. government filed a civil lawsuit Friday against
longtime GOP political consultant Roger Stone, alleging that he
owes nearly $2 million in unpaid taxes, interest and penalties.
The suit alleges that Mr. Stone and his wife, Nydia Stone, owe
$1.5 million in taxes, penalties and interest for the tax years
2007 through 2011 that were filed jointly. It further alleges that
Mr. Stone owes another $400,000 in taxes and penalties on his 2018
income taxes, which were filed separately from his spouse.
Mr. Stone didn't immediately respond to a request for
comment.
He was convicted in 2019 of lying to Congress, witness tampering
and obstruction of a congressional proceeding before being pardoned
by then-President Donald Trump in the waning days of his
administration.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,
where Mr. Stone lives.
The lawsuit also claims that Mr. Stone and his wife transferred
funds from his personal bank account to the account belonging to a
company known as Drake Ventures to hide money from the government
and fund expenditures including the purchase of a condominium. The
company is incorporated in Delaware.
"Although they used funds held in Drake Ventures accounts to pay
some of their taxes, the Stones's use of Drake Ventures to hold
their funds allowed them to shield their personal income from
enforced collection and fund a lavish lifestyle despite owing
nearly $2 million in unpaid taxes, interest and penalties," the
government alleges.
The government is seeking to have the couple's condominium --
which was purchased through a trust -- declared the personal
property of the Stones and for its tax liens against the couple to
be enforceable against the property.
Write to Byron Tau at byron.tau@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 16, 2021 21:04 ET (01:04 GMT)
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