A Battle Ground man who ran a Portland auto detailing business was sentenced Wednesday to a year in federal prison for a 12-year scheme in which he hid his income and evaded paying $1.5 million in taxes.
Thomas A. Rennie, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted tax evasion.
U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon ordered Rennie to self-surrender to prison in late March, an attempt to avoid placing him in custody until a time when the coronavirus pandemic is expected to be less severe or a vaccine is available. He also was ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution.
Rennie had owned and operated the Autobella detailing business in Portland for more than 28 years.
He avoided paying taxes from 2005 through 2017 and also lied on a bankruptcy petition in an attempt to hide his income and assets, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire Fay.
Rennie failed to maintain proper business books and records, concealed asset ownership, placed titles to property and vehicles in the names of nominees, used business bank accounts and a nonprofit’s bank account to pay for personal expenses, concealed the income from the sale of Autobella Inc. by placing the proceeds in bank accounts held in the name of nominee entities, and made false statements to an Internal Revenue Service officer during an audit, according to Fay. He evaded paying personal, corporate and employment taxes, the prosecutor said.
Some of the money went to a $67,246 down payment for a house on 4.3 acres in Battle Ground, the purchase of a Chevy van, the purchase of a Mercedes R500, a family trip to Las Vegas, college expenses for his child, and other personal expenses, according to court documents.
“This crime was not the product of a one-time lapse in judgment,” Fay said.
Rennie, who has no previous criminal record, said he felt shame for his actions.
“Please know I’m very remorseful. I made some bad decisions,” he told the judge. “I’m working hard to better myself. … I have no excuse for my conduct. I blame no one. I’ll spend the rest of my life making amends for this.”
He was ordered to start his prison sentence on March 25.
-- Maxine Bernstein
Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212
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Portland auto detailer gets year in prison for not paying $1.5 million in taxes during 12-year scheme - OregonLive
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