The Twin Shell Game

Dennis March and Greg March, twin brothers from Berlin, Maryland, each pleaded guilty to tax evasion for concealing income and failing to pay business and individual taxes.According to their guilty pleas, the brothers owned and controlled business entities and ventures including Elite Marketing Group LLC, Elite MG LLC, and Principal Law Group. The government said they concealed income by arranging payments to a shell entity they controlled, treating those payments as business expenses or costs when they were effectively distributions of income to themselves.Jason explains how related-party payments can cross the line from planning to concealment, why business expenses need real substance, how IRS-CI follows entity and bank records, and what business owners should do before missing returns and disguised distributions become criminal tax evidence.KeyTakeawaysA shell entity does not make owner income disappear.Related-party payments need real services, real contracts, reasonable pricing, and clean tax reporting.A business expense must be ordinary and necessary, and the label does not override the economic reality.Large cash withdrawals, missing returns, and real estate purchases can help prosecutors tell the money-trail story.If prior filings are wrong, the cleanup should start before IRS-CI or the DOJ controls the timeline.Privilege matters when the facts involve concealed income, shell entities, missing returns, or potential willfulness. Resources MentionedDOJ case source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/maryland-brothers-plead-guilty-tax-evasionIRS Publication 334, business expenses: https://www.irs.gov/publications/p334IRS online payment agreements: https://www.irs.gov/paymentplansThe Law Office of Jason Carr, PLLC: https://carrtaxlaw.comCase Source26 U.S.C. § 7201: Attempt to evade or defeat tax. The statute provides felony penalties for any person who willfully attempts in any manner to evade or defeat tax or payment of tax.IRS Criminal Investigation Manual, IRM 9.1.3: Explains § 7201, including the requirement of an affirmative act and examples of conduct that may show an attempt to evade or defeat tax.Spiesv.UnitedStates, 317 U.S. 492 (1943): The Supreme Court distinguished passive failure to file or pay from felony evasion and identified examples of conduct that may show an attempt to evade or defeat tax.Cheekv.UnitedStates, 498 U.S. 192 (1991): The Supreme Court described willfulness in criminal tax cases as a voluntary, intentional violation of a known legal duty.IRS Publication 334, business expenses: The IRS explains that a deductible business expense must be ordinary and necessary, with “ordinary” meaning common and accepted in the business field and “necessary” meaning helpful and appropriate.Disclaimer This video is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Viewing this video does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and The Law Office of Jason Carr, PLLC. The discussion is based on publicly available information and is not a complete analysis of any person’s legal rights, defenses, tax obligations, or case facts. Any commentary about what a taxpayer, business owner, or advisor “should have done” is general educational discussion only and may not apply to your situation. If you have a specific legal or tax question, consult a qualified attorney or tax professional licensed in your jurisdiction.Comment PolicyPlease do not post confidential, sensitive, or personally identifiable tax information in the comments. We do not provide individualized legal or tax advice in the comments or social media replies.