Jie Suo, the owner of two luxury car exporting businesses in California, pleaded guilty to interfering with an IRS investigation into her multi-million dollar companies, which she failed to disclose in her tax filings in order to avoid paying income taxes.
Suo exported luxury vehicles to China and admitted that her businesses earned over $18 million in gross receipts from 2011-2017. She paid no taxes on the income, since she did not disclose the existence of her businesses on four tax returns filed with the IRS, and paid no federal income tax for 2013 through 2016.
While she was being investigated by the IRS, Suo falsely claimed that her businesses operated at a loss, that she was the victim of loan sharks, that she reported her income to an accountant who failed to include the income on her tax returns, and that she did not employ her son.
She also misrepresented the source of funds used to purchase a home. She faces a maximum sentence of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution of at least $997,673.