Robert T. Brockman was so mad that the Internal Revenue Service would put his plan on hold, prosecutors said, adding that in June 2016, a Texas billionaire allegedly ordered his offshore money handler to shred paperwork and "electronic media" with shredders. Destroy it. And hammers.
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But on Thursday, prosecutors alleged that his decades-old tax fraud scheme in American history, was finally put on hold. A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted 79-year-old Brockman on 39 charges including tax fraud, wire fraud, tampering with evidence and money laundering.
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"The $ 2 billion tax fraud charge against a person is the largest tax charge in the United States," said David L. Anderson, a California attorney from North America, who told a newspaper news conference.
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An indictment filed earlier this month alleged that Brockman, the chief executive of Reynolds & Reynolds, an Ohio-based company that makes software for car dealerships, used a network of entities in Bermuda and Nevis to hide investment income from the IRS. Used. He also allegedly kept secret bank accounts in Bermuda and Switzerland, where he made fun of the profits from selling assets.
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To continue this plan, Brockman used secret, encrypted email systems to coordinate with secret funds. Brockman, who had an affinity for appointing monikers to people and places, called himself "permit", "IRS" house, and called his handlers fish-themed code names such as "redfish," "goldfish" And assigned "snapper. "He also paid the name of his $ 29 million luxury yacht with allegedly hidden money -" unrest ".
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Brookman, who lives in Houston and Pitkin County, Colo., Is a marine veteran who started marketing at Ford Motor Company. He later worked as a salesman at IBM before founding Universal Computer Services in 1970, and led the company through its acquisition in 2006 by Reynolds and Reynolds.
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But beginning in 1999, prosecutors say Brockman began stealing money overseas and covering his track to avoid investigators.
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According to prosecution charges, Brockman was suspected of taking charges and covering suspicious activity. He told his chief handler, who is enrolled in the indictment, to "operate as much as possible in a paperless manner" so that everything was "in encrypted digital form," the indictment said.
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Investigators also said Brockman supported the documents to cover his alleged crimes. In an email from July 2008, Brockman informed his handler to avoid using copy machine and laser printer paper because it is "encoded by the manufacturer of that paper as well as the year and month of manufacture" Brockman Wrote as indicated. . "For this reason I have always set aside some packets of copy paper with dates on them - for possible future use."
These allegations also include the allegation that between 2008 and 2010, Brockman lied to investors and allegedly fired his bill out of about 68 million.
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A spokesperson for Reynolds and Reynolds told the New York Times that the company is not alleged to have "indulged in any wrongdoing, and we believe in the integrity and strength of our business," adding that Brockman's actions were "his professionalism." Outside "responsibilities. "
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Case witness and alleged co-conspirator Robert F. against Brockman Was uprooted by Smith. Referred to as the wealthiest black man in the country, the 57-year-old billionaire attracted national headlines in May 2019 when he resolved to pay off all student loans for the graduating class of Morehouse College, an all-male, historically Se was Black College. Atlanta
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Smith is the founder of Vista Equity Partners, a San Francisco-based private-equity fund that had a single investor: Brockman. According to prosecutors, Smith helped Brockerman disguise his profits through Vista in offshore accounts so he could avoid paying taxes.
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At a news conference, US Attorney Anderson in San Francisco said Smith signed a non-prosecution agreement, where he accepted his part in the plan and agreed to cooperate with investigators. He contributed $ 43 million in federal taxes from 2005 to 2014 and accepted an agreement to pay approximately $ 140 million in taxes and fines.
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An attorney for Smith did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
During a virtual hearing on Thursday, Brockman pleaded not guilty in all cases and was released on $ 1 million bond.
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