Carthage doctor Brian Ellefsen and his brother, Mark, his accountant pleaded not guilty today to federal fraud charges. The five-minute arraignment was held in the federal courthouse in Springfield.
The Ellefsens were indicted in April by a federal grand jury. According to court documents, the Ellefsens were involved in a 10-year scheme to divert at least $1.567 million into offshore accounts to avoid paying income tax. Mark Ellefsen was office manager for Southwest Bone and Joint, the business run by Brian Ellefsen.
The indictment said Brian Ellefsen used the diverted funds to "pay for cash withdrawals and charges made on the offshore credit card, payments for (his) personal expenses, payments on loans owned by (him), expenditures for the construction of (his) family home, and expenditures for the purchase of another residence located on Table Rock Lake, Missouri."
The Ellefsens misled the accounting firm preparing their income tax returns, according to the indictments, causing false income tax returns to be filed.
4 comments:
They keep telling everyone the press has blown this all out of proportion and they are innocent and all of this was taken care of years ago. WHATEVER!!! If it was taken care of, do you think the charges would've been file? Doubt it! I think they deserve jail time and to lose his medical license.
IF they are guilty, they should endure what the courts decide. The fact that charges were filed means only that investigators think they have enough, it is NOT a conviction. Let the court system do it's job. Don't make judgments based on the limited and biased information released in the press.
IF this is true, just shows you some people are never content with the amount of money they make. But a doctor has so much to lose...
Are Dr Ellefsen and his brother Mark alone in what occurred or were they led down the path they find themselves on? I believe they were advised on how to protect a portion of their earnings from the IRS by a company that has advised many other people with above average incomes in the same manner.
Are they guilty? I guess so, a jury found them guilty. By the way, only of the jurors even has a college education. Was this a jury of their peers? If I were charged of a crime I'd hope that I would not have to face a jury made up of people who do not understand my personal circumstances.
Have we heard of politicians recently nominated by the President who have had tax issues? The answer is YES and many times! Are they being charged with crimes? Not one that I am aware of has been charged even though they made national news. What message does this send the general public? I think it says, "Try any measure you believe may be legal and if you get caught then plead ignorance and pay a "token" fine to the IRS." There are even commercials on television asking me if I owe the IRS money and if I do then contact them and I can pay pennies on the dollar to the IRS. Is this true? Again, the message is try any measure you believe may be legal and if you get caught then plead ignorance and pay a "token" fine to the IRS.
I've heard that Dr Ellefsen refiled his returns, paid the taxes and penalties, and was not behind nor owed any taxes for years he had misfiled. The IRS wasn't even aware that he had not filed a correct return until he himself found the error and corrected it. Had he not refiled his returns and paid his taxes and penalties in full the charges likely would not have been sought and a conviction not entered.
I say judge not that yee not be judged, cast not the first stone unless yee be pure, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Bless you Doctor Brian and Mark Ellefsen for all the good you have done for those of us who "kneeded" you and you were there. My hope is that you will be there for those who will need you in the future. And for those who wish you upon a cross I can only hope the cross you find is the medical cross, the caduceus.
Post a Comment