Vallejo couple guilty of $2 million tax fraud scheme, laundering through fake church

One Northern California couple faces prison time and huge fines after being convicted this week of trying to launder a bogus, seven-figure tax return received nearly a decade ago.

A federal jury on Thursday convicted a married Vallejo couple who attempted to launder nearly $2 million in tax returns fraudulently filed and received in 2009, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

Marty and Ronda Boone filed separate tax returns in 2008, the Attorney’s Office said Friday in a news release. The Internal Revenue Service flagged Ronda’s return and fined her $5,000 without issuing her payment.

But Marty received a check for more than $1.9 million for his bogus return, and he cashed and deposited it into a new account in August 2009, according to the release.

The couple then moved the money through other fraudulent accounts set up in California, Washington state, New York and a shell corporation they established in the island nation of Cyprus, the release said.

Prosecutors said the Boones funneled more than $200,000 to a “church” in Washington when the bulk of the money was spent at a Harley-Davidson shop and at nail salons. Another $100,000 went to the shell company, court documents said.

Marty, 57, and Ronda, 56, were found guilty of filing false tax returns, conspiracy and multiple counts of money laundering for their scheme.

They are scheduled to be sentenced May 9, and face maximum penalties of 10 years in prison or fines of $250,000 or double the cost of criminally derived property, whichever is greater.

The case was brought forth by an IRS criminal investigation and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the release said.