Alaska Businesswoman Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion Scheme

An Alaska woman pleaded guilty on Wednesday to evading taxes on income she earned from the business she operated.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Tina H. Yi, of Anchorage, was the sole owner and operator of SJ Investment LLC, a hotel, bar and liquor store in Nome, Alaska, that did business as Polaris HBL. Yi created the business in approximately April 2007 and operated it until approximately October 2017, when the physical property was destroyed in a fire.

From approximately 2014 to 2018, Yi maintained two sets of financial records relating to the business' income and expenses, one of which accurately captured SJ Investment's income and expenses, and one that understated the business's income. Yi provided the false records to her accountant to prepare her tax returns. As a result, her 2014 through 2018 tax returns were all false.

Yi caused a total tax loss to the IRS of over $550,000.

Yi is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 11, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney John C. Gerardi of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case.