Oregon Entrepreneur Pleads Guilty to Defrauding IRS of $24 Million

Oregon Entrepreneur Pleads Guilty to Defrauding IRS of $24 Million. A Lake Oswego man, Robert Kohnle, has confessed to defrauding the IRS and may face up to five years in prison. Kohnle, formerly the CEO of Aliat, a company specializing in payroll and healthcare benefits services, withheld over $24 million in taxes from the federal government.

Oregon Entrepreneur Pleads Guilty to Defrauding IRS of $24 Million

Despite Kohnle’s LinkedIn profile showcasing his dedication to helping businesses navigate HR regulations and prioritize employee benefits, the U.S. Department of Justice alleges a different reality.

They claim that for six years, from 2016 to 2022, Kohnle retained the payroll tax withholdings of his clients’ employees, including income, Medicare, and Social Security taxes, instead of remitting them to the IRS.

Guilty Plea

Kohnle pleaded guilty to these charges on a recent Friday, and his sentencing is set for January 8. The potential consequences include prison time, supervised release, restitution, and fines, all to be determined by a federal district court judge.