A federal jury has found a former North Carolina minister guilty of failing to pay taxes and assisting in the filing of false tax returns.
The U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release 51-year-old William Todd Coontz of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was convicted on Thursday. Coontz was minister of Rockwealth Ministries and also ran two for-profit companies.
Prosecutors say that as early as 2000 and continuing through at least 2014, Coontz filed delinquent income tax returns and failed to make timely payments. Evidence also showed Coontz underreported income on federal returns for 2010 through 2013.
Failure to pay carries a maximum one-year sentence and a $100,000 fine per count. The aiding and assisting charge carries a maximum of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count.
