Mississippi man pleads guilty to evading $2 million in federal taxes

A Mississippi man pleaded guilty to evading payment of more than $2 million in federal income taxes, the Justice Department announced.

According to court documents, Eric Brian Rosenberg tried to conceal money from the government after learning that an Internal Revenue Service revenue officer was attempting to collect the income taxes he owed.

Between 2016 and 2020, Rosenberg engaged in a practice known as “check churning,” according to court documents. He would purchase a cashier’s check with most of the funds in his checking account and hold it until he wanted cash. He would then deposit the check back into his account, withdraw the amount he needed and remove the remaining funds through another cashier’s check.

Rosenberg later took additional steps to avoid paying what he owed, according to court documents. He formed a company, opened a bank account in the company’s name and deposited money into that nominee account while continuing the check-churning scheme. During the same general period, from 2016 through 2021, Rosenberg spent more than $1 million gambling at casinos.

Rosenberg pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, the Justice Department said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 16 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Any sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.