WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- The Justice Department filed suit Tuesday to stop two Seattle-area men from helping customers use sham trusts to evade federal income taxes.
The suit alleges Glen Stoll of Edmonds, Wash., and Michael Stevens of Everett, Wash., are former associates of John and Candace Sinclair, of Kirkland, Wash.
The government filed a similar suit against the Sinclairs last month.
The new complaint said Stoll and Stevens and their companies, which the government also sued, sell a fraudulent "corporation sole" and "ministerial trust" scheme, falsely telling customers that conducting their personal and business activities through a so-called ministerial trust eliminates obligations to file federal tax returns and pay federal tax.
The complaint alleges the defendants market their program through a Web site and falsely claim to be lawyers. The defendants also allegedly help customers transfer their income to offshore bank accounts, the department said.
The men charge customers at least $4,000 to participate in the scheme, the department said.
