Evidence submitted at Wanland's trial showed that he had made more than $1.5 million and owed $448451 in taxes. However, he didn't pay anything. From 2004 to 2007, he did not file any returns despite earning the mentioned amount. At the same time, he spent money on luxury car payments, vacations to Mexico and Hawai, bills associated with the pool at his El Dorado Hills home, gambling in Las Vegas and travel by limousine.
Though Wanland filed for bankruptcy protection, the court clarified that it did not put him off the hook and the government will pursue civil action to collect on the debts.
Summing up a common stereotype, prosecutors described Wanland in a sentencing memorandum as being "a person of extremely poor character. His view of the world essentially seems to be that the rules are for suckers and, as to him, the law is just a suggestion."
During his sentencing, the former business attorney, who has already spent time behind the bars awaiting his sentencing, revealed that in jail he had read the Bible cover to cover. He said he was full of remorse for his acts "motivated by greed, by selfishness, by contempt, even."
Making a request for probation rather than jail time, the attorney told the court, "I've lost everything … The things I have suffered I cannot put into words, but I want you to know I have suffered."
While the prosecution wanted eight years time behind the bars for Wanland, the court decided on 46 months.
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