Michigan Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion and Conspiring to Steal Reports From City Police Department

A Metamora, Michigan, business owner pleaded guilty today to tax evasion and conspiring to steal from an organization receiving federal funds, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Anthony Sereno co-owned and operated several businesses in Michigan, including USA Direct LLC (USA Direct), which advertised on behalf of health care providers and solicited individuals for medical and personal injury legal services. During 2013, Sereno diverted funds from USA Direct’s business account for his personal use, but did not include those funds on his individual tax return. He also did not report on that return more than $280,000 in income he directly received from USA Direct.

In 2013, Sereno directed funds from USA Direct’s business account to an intermediary, who used the funds to purchase Michigan traffic crash reports stolen from the Flint Police Department. From 2014 through 2017, Sereno also conspired with Carol Almeranti and Karen Miller to obtain stolen police reports from the Detroit Police Department. Almeranti and Miller previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, and are awaiting sentencing.

U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis scheduled Sereno’s sentencing for Aug. 18, 2020. At sentencing, Sereno faces a maximum of five years in prison for each offense. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI, who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and William Guappone of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

Excerpt:

During 2013, Sereno diverted funds from USA Direct’s business account for his personal use, but did not include those funds on his individual tax return. He also did not report on that return more than $280,000 in income he directly received from USA Direct.

https://www.abc12.com/content/news/2-more-people-indicted-for-conspiracy—480300933.html

“The crash reports are a standard state of Michigan form police officers are required to fill out after every crash they investigate. While the reports are available to the public after approval, the stolen documents allegedly still were marked “unapproved” so they could not be released yet.....

Sereno and DeSanto’s companies serve as solicitors for personal injury lawyers and health care professionals. They allegedly tried to sign up Flint traffic crash victims for lawsuits or medical treatment with their clients....
Several of the crash victims listed on the stolen Flint reports received chiropractic or rehabilitation treatment and legal representation from businesses affiliated with DeSanto’s companies, which were not named.

According to court documents, DeSanto received kickbacks from the medical practitioners and personal injury lawyers to whom he directed crash victims.

Both Groulx, Besson and the unidentified former Flint police officer were paid for their roles in the scheme, according to court documents.....

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