Lee’s Summit Neurologist Pleads Guilty to False Tax Returns

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Lee's Summit, Mo., neurologist pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to report cash income from her practice on her federal tax returns.

Maria Donato, 55, waived her right to a grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to a federal information that charges her with one count of making a false declaration under penalties of perjury.

Donato owned and operated Forest Park Neurology, LLC, where she practiced as a neurologist from 2012 to 2019. Donato's patients sometimes paid cash for her services from 2015 through 2019, but Donato failed to report the full extent of her cash income on her federal income tax returns. Donato specifically pleaded guilty to failing to report more than $120,000 in cash income in 2017.

By pleading guilty today, Donato admitted that she filed her federal income tax returns, or caused her returns to be filed, knowing they were false. Each return included a written declaration whereby Donato acknowledged the return was being filed under penalties of perjury. Donato also failed to properly report her cash income on her Missouri tax returns during those years.

Under federal statutes, Donato is subject to a sentence of up to three years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.