Dover Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to File Tax Form

A Dover man was sentenced to federal prison Monday for failing to file a tax report, according to news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Michael Hansen, 48, of Dover, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison by U.S. District Judge Denise Casper. The sentence will be followed by one year of supervised release, as well as a $4,000 fine, according to Monday's announcement. 

Hansen, a former owner of a mortgage brokerage firm for several years and former business associate of Boston attorney Robert George, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing, or attempting to cause, failure to file Tax Form 8300. 

"Sometime in 2009, Hansen had conversations with George, discussing the fact that the defendant's business was experiencing financial difficulties and that he needed cash," the DOJ report states. "George agreed to put the two men together but told Hansen that he wanted a piece of whatever the money the defendant received as a fee for exchanging the cash for checks. Hansen agreed to meet with George's former client and exchange the cash for checks. Hansen also agreed to give George a fee for this service."

A cooperating witness, also a former client of George's, met with Hansen on Dec. 17, 2009, and then again on April 15, 2010, according to the report. The witness gave Hansen a total of $200,000 during the meetings; Hansen wrote two checks payable to the witness's company for $80,000 each. Hansen kept $40,000 and paid George $20,000 as a fee. 

As such, because Hansen received $10,000 or more in cash, he was required to fil out tax form 8300. 

"Hansen was engaged in a business that he knew was heavily regulated, yet he deliberately did not seek to learn of any reporting requirements regarding the receipt of large amounts of cash," the report stated. "Hansen did not file the form in 8300, or any other form, purposefully evading any reporting requirements."

Evidence in the case included consensually-recorded telephone conversations and in-person meetings, which were consensually recorded and videotaped between Hansen and the cooperating witness, as well as George. Other evidence included toll records and other financial documents, according to the DOJ report. 

The announcement was made Monday by U.S. attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, as well as Kevin Lane, acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration-Boston Field Division, and William Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation in Boston. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura J. Kaplan and Zachary R. Hafer of Ortiz's Strike Force and Public Corruption Units.