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Owatonna man charged with four counts of tax evasion
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An Owatonna man who runs a home-based business was recently charged with four felony tax crimes, the Minnesota Department of Revenue said Tuesday.
Norman Wobschall, 61, was charged with two counts of failing to file sales taxes and two counts of failing to pay sales taxes over a two-year period.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Steele County, Wobschall ran Norm's Water Systems and collected $40,000 in sales taxes from customers but did not forward to the state. In addition, he is accused of using a fake Minnesota Business ID to buy $235,000 in equipment and parts without $15,000 paying sales taxes. He allegedly bought the products using a Retail Exemption Certificate on which he agreed to report and pay sales and use tax directly to the revenue department.
The complaint also said the Minnesota Department of Revenue has no records that Norm's Water Systems ever paid sales taxes or filed a sales tax return, and that business does not have an active Minnesota Business Identification Number.
In total, the revenue department said Wobschall cheated the state out of $55,000.
Each of the tax evasion felonies is punishable by up to five years in prison, up to a $10,000 fine, or both.
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