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Local Realtor Sentenced for Income Tax Evasion

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Debra Elaine Ashcraft (DOB 11/23/57), of Camarillo, was sentenced to 180 days in the Ventura County jail for income tax evasion. The charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit and the California Franchise Tax Board.

Ashcraft structured payments and bank deposits of real estate commissions she earned to avoid triggering mandatory bank reporting requirements in order to conceal her income from tax authorities. The law requires banks to report transactions exceeding $10,000. She also failed to file California income tax returns for the tax years 2013 through 2017.

Ashcraft was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $78,000 to the California Franchise Tax Board and placed on formal felony probation for 60 months.

 

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Local Realtor Charged with Income Tax Evasion

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today the filing of charges against Camarillo resident Debra Elaine Ashcraft (DOB 11/23/57). Ashcraft is charged with one felony count of structuring and five felony counts of income tax evasion. The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit and the California Franchise Tax Board.

 

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Oxnard resident Michael McDevitt pleaded guilty to felony grand theft, tax evasion and foreclosure consultant fraud.

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Oxnard resident Michael McDevitt (DOB 11/24/81) pleaded guilty to felony grand theft, tax evasion and foreclosure consultant fraud. The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit and the Franchise Tax Board (FTB).

McDevitt operated a fraudulent loan modification company called Scovis Law Group (SLG) in Thousand Oaks, California. Throughout 2010 and 2011, SLG represented that it was an expert in the field of loan modifications despite the illegality of collecting up-front fees in return for these services. In their solicitations for illegal advance fees, McDevitt and his agents made numerous false representations to victims regarding purported loan modifications. In addition to receiving no actual services, the five named victims’ losses were approximately $29,000.

 The FTB investigation determined that McDevitt failed to disclose $67,818 in taxable income for 2009 and failed to report $718,197 in taxable income for 2010. McDevitt is expected receive 16 months in state prison when he is sentenced on September 3, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 26.

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