Daniel W. Briese, a River Falls resident, faces four felony charges for submitting fraudulent income tax returns.
According to the criminal complaint, while working as a shipping manager from 2013 to 2016, Briese underreported his taxable income approximately $382,115. In this way, he evaded $24,518 in income taxes. Briese orchestrated a kickback scheme with two shipping companies used by his employer. He instructed them to overcharge his employer by 10 percent. Then he would pay the invoice with his employer’s funds and receive part of the overpayment back from the shipping companies. Other assets Briese received as part of the scheme include a pick-up truck,
trailer and a boat. In total, Briese received over $662,500 in either cash or assets from 2013 through 2016.
While he reported some of the income he received from kickbacks on 2013 and 2014 business tax returns, he reduced it with fraudulent expenses. Briese claimed fraudulent expenses totaling $52,442 in 2013 and $50,818 in 2014. He also failed to report $157, 946 in income between 2013 through 2016.
The Pierce County District Attorney filed criminal charges on August 8, 2019 following an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s Office of Criminal Investigation. If convicted, Briese could face up to 24 years in prison, a $40,000 fine, or both.
