Mcdonald's Co-Owner Admits Cheating IRS Out of More than $600k

Yesterday a McDonald’s franchise owner in Minnesota plead guilty to charges of IRS tax evasion. The husband and wife cheated the IRS out of more than $600,000 in payroll taxes, and could face up to five years in prison as a result.

According to the Star Tribune post below, the couple cheated the IRS by failing to turn over the employment taxes that were collected.

Stephen J. Kopel, 62, of Rosemount, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Minneapolis to willful failure to account for and pay taxes.

Kopel, whose S&P Foods Inc. operates a McDonald's near 150th Street and Robert Trail, failed to pay over employment taxes to the IRS from 2003-2006. The total in unpaid taxes from those years was $627,437.41.

Kopel faces a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled.

Sacramento Business Owner Settles 4-Cent IRS Tab Amid Media Frenzy

A Sacramento car wash business owner with a 4 cent debt to the IRS made national headlines yesterday, and today the SacBee published a follow up to the story explaining that the $200 penalty was due to late payment of the 4 cents.

"We're moving forward," claimed Aaron Zeff, after sending the feds a check for 4 cents – and additional checks to cover $202.31 in interest and penalties.

What's still a mystery is why Zeff was never informed about the tardy payment (and resulting fees) before last week's visit by agents. One possibility: He changed payroll services several years ago, and the old firm may have received notices but didn't forward them.

In any case, he still thinks the agents' visit was "inappropriate – whether it was for 4 cents or $500."

Towards the end of the article SacBee also added a blurb about the Roni Deutch Tax Center’s newest NBA promotion taking place at tonight’s Kings game in Sacramento, CA. You can checkout a snippet of the article below.

At tonight's Kings game, she's offering to do federal taxes for free for the first 200 people who come to her booth outside Arco Arena.

Why work with the hapless Nets and the somewhat-better Kings?

Deutch says she identifies with teams that are "starting out at the bottom."

Partnerships with more successful franchises are possible in the future, says Deutch, a die-hard Kings fan. But she's never, ever, doing deals with the L.A. team that happens to be the Kings' opponent tonight.

"I hate the Lakers," she says. "Why would I ever get in bed with them?"