A Florida certified public accountant has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after admitting to evading payment of more than $2.2 million in federal income taxes, according to an October 26, 2026, announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Ronald St. Clair pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and was ordered to pay $2,343,615.01 in restitution. Federal prosecutors said he concealed money, real estate interests, and other assets while attempting to prevent the Internal Revenue Service from collecting taxes he owed.
The case involved unpaid federal income taxes from 2011 through 2017 and efforts to conceal assets after the IRS began collection proceedings.
CPA Concealed Property Sale Proceeds After IRS Collection Warning
According to court documents and statements made in court, St. Clair accumulated substantial unpaid federal income tax liabilities over several years.
In 2020, the IRS notified him that it intended to levy his assets to collect the outstanding debt. Rather than using available funds to satisfy those obligations, St. Clair sold real estate he owned and transferred the proceeds into a bank account held in another person’s name.
Prosecutors said he continued directing the money for personal and business purposes despite transferring it out of his name.
During the same period, St. Clair sought a payment arrangement with the IRS but intentionally failed to disclose the funds and assets he controlled.
Prosecutors Described Years of Concealed Assets
At sentencing, federal prosecutors presented evidence that St. Clair had used several methods to obscure his financial resources.
According to the Justice Department, these included maintaining money in bank accounts under other people’s names and placing real estate interests in businesses that were not held in his name.
Prosecutors also said St. Clair used multiple layers of business entities to conceal his control over money that could have been directed toward his outstanding tax obligations.
These arrangements were central to the government’s case that St. Clair intentionally attempted to evade payment rather than simply being unable to afford his tax debt.
Federal Court Orders More Than $2.3 Million in Restitution
St. Clair’s guilty plea resulted in an 18-month federal prison sentence and an order to pay $2,343,615.01 in restitution.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by attorneys from the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the sentencing.
The case illustrates the distinction between owing substantial back taxes and deliberately concealing assets to prevent the government from collecting them.
Taxpayers experiencing collection difficulties can review available payment arrangements and other options through the IRS’s official payment resources. However, financial disclosures made during the collection process must be accurate, and taxpayers facing complex liabilities should seek qualified professional guidance.
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Amanda Blankenship is the Chief Editor for District Media. With a BA in journalism from Wingate University, she frequently writes for a handful of websites and loves to share her own personal finance story with others. When she isn’t typing away at her desk, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, son, husband, and dog. During her free time, you’re likely to find her with her nose in a book, hiking, or playing RPG video games.