AG Van Hollen: Milwaukee court commissioner charged with tax fraud

For More Information Contact:

Bill Cosh

608/266-1221

MILWAUKEE – Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Geneva E. McKinley has been charged with two counts of filing false and fraudulent income tax returns. An initial appearance has been scheduled for Monday, July 11, 2011, in Dane County Circuit Court.

According to the criminal complaint, McKinley filed income tax returns for the 2006 and 2007 tax years on the same date on May 28, 2008. The complaint alleges that McKinley failed to report rental income she received each year on commercial real estate property she owned. It also alleges that McKinley failed to report attorneys fees she was paid for private legal work in 2006, prior to becoming a court commissioner. For the two years combined, McKinley reported only $19,391 in adjusted gross income, when her actual adjusted gross income should have been reported as over $135,000.

Each charge of filing false and fraudulent income tax returns is a class H felony, punishable by imprisonment up to 6 years and a $10,000 fine, or both.

A criminal complaint is a document accusing a person of a violation of criminal law. A defendant enjoys a presumption of innocence. The prosecution must prove its allegations at trial beyond a reasonable doubt.

A copy of the criminal complaint can be accessed at:

http://www.doj.state.wi.us/news/files/McKinley_Summons_and_Complaint-filed_stamped.pdf

Assistant Attorney General David W. Maas is representing the State.