Much worse than that, according to the prosecution.
From the article: "According to the indictment, the Sorrentinos earned about $8.9 million between 2010 and 2012, mostly through two companies they controlled, MPS Entertainment and Situation Nation. They allegedly filed false documents that understated the income from the businesses as well as their personal income. Mike Sorrentino also is charged with failing to file taxes for 2011, a year in which he earned nearly $2 million. The brothers also allegedly spent millions of dollars on personal expenses they claimed were for business. In 2012, for example, the brothers filed documents with an unnamed accounting firm in Staten Island that claimed $3.9 million in business expenses, according to the indictment released by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman."
If you accurately report your income on your tax returns but don't have the money to pay the tax, the IRS collections people will chase you, but those kind of cases virtually never result in a criminal prosecution. Lying on your tax return, or not filing a return at all, are what will land you in prison.
I heard on the radio that a comment from the IRS was
“telling the truth to the IRS is not an option”.
Bastards. Absolute Bastards. Cough up the emails!
ooops, blew the quote:
“telling the truth to the IRS is not optional”