Nevada real estate developer sentenced to one year and a day in prison for tax evasion

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (KOLO) - A Nevada real estate developer has been sentenced to one year, plus an additional day, for evading payment on his federal income taxes.

Scott H. Lawrence of Las Vegas pleaded guilty to tax evasion on July 26, 2022.

The court found that between 2009 and 2019, Lawrence owned and operated the real estate company Turn Two Inc. In March of 2010, the IRS denied Lawrence’s personal bank account in an attempt to satisfy his tax debt.

Upon learning of the IRS levy, Lawrence began thwarting IRS collection efforts by cashing large portions of his wife’s paycheck to keep funds out of a bank account the IRS could levy, among other efforts to stop IRS collection efforts.

Starting in 2011, Lawrence started depositing his wife’s entire paycheck and other earnings into a corporate account not subject to IRS levy and held by his company. That account was used to pay most of his family’s living expenses.

Lawrence then directed his wife to create a new interior design business, called D Lawrence Hospitality LLC, and open a business bank account for it. Lawrence then directed much of he and his wife’s income through the interior design business to impede IRS collection efforts.

The court additionally found that Lawrence caused his attorney to send a materially misleading letter to the IRS and to pay his taxes using an intentionally overdrawn bank account. The DOJ estimates Lawrence’s efforts prevented the IRS from collecting more than $1.9 million in taxes.

After he is released, the court mandated that Lawrence must serve two years of supervised release and pay approximately $1.9 million in restitution to the U.S. government.