Buchanan Woman Pleads In Tax Evasion Case

jailcell-22
jailcell-22

A Buchanan woman who admitted to embezzling nearly $2 million from her employer also faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 in a tax evasion case. The United States Attorney’s office in Grand Rapids this week announced Lori Pawielski has agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempting to evade or defeat taxes in 2009 through 2015. The government had alleged in March of 2016, Pawielski prepared a false Form 1040, claiming taxable income of $149,000 when in fact she’d made $330,000. The U.S. Attorney says she should have paid more than $80,000 in taxes, and not about $28,000. She also admitted to embezzling more than $1.9 million from a former employer in her plea deal. That was handled in a separate state case. Pawielski will be arraigned next month.