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NWA pilot convicted of felony tax evasion
Liz Fedor
Star Tribune
Published Oct 22, 2002
Northwest Airlines pilot Geoffrey Hickman was found guilty Monday of five felony counts of tax evasion, and he could be sentenced to up to 19 months in prison.
Hickman, 59, is the first of seven Northwest pilots being prosecuted over accusations of failing to pay Minnesota income taxes.
Dakota County District Judge Karen Asphaug concluded that Hickman evaded Minnesota income taxes from 1996 to 2000, even though he had lived in a custom-built home in Mendota Heights since 1995.
Prosecutors said Hickman should have paid more than $50,000 in Minnesota income taxes during those years.
Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar said, "Hickman knowingly and willingly evaded Minnesota income taxes by fraudulently claiming to live in a post office box in Florida, which is a state that doesn't have income taxes."
The tax-evasion cases originated with investigations by the Minnesota Department of Revenue. To provide consistency of prosecution, Hennepin County is handling all of the cases of pilots to be tried in Hennepin, Dakota and Washington counties.
Over a five-year period, Hickman listed a post office box in Carrabelle, Fla., as his address on his W-2 and federal income tax returns. In a written ruling, the judge said that Hickman had a fully furnished home in Minnesota and claimed homestead status on that residence for property tax purposes. She said he also registered two cars in Minnesota. The judge concluded that Hickman knew he had an obligation to file Minnesota income tax returns but "willfully failed" to file them.
"This was not a case of inadvertently forgetting to file taxes," Klobuchar said, adding that Hickman took "numerous steps to deliberately evade paying income taxes."
Bob Malone, Hickman's defense attorney, declined Monday to comment on whether an appeal will be filed. Hickman is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 12.
Klobuchar said her attorneys haven't settled on a sentencing recommendation, but Hickman will have to pay the taxes owed and penalties. Sentencing guidelines call for up to 19 months in prison, she said.
Hickman is still flying, Malone said.
But pilots might lose their jobs if felony convictions prevent them from getting the security clearances they need to gain access to cockpits.
Northwest spokesman Bill Mellon said, "We are investigating the impact of today's conviction on Mr. Hickman's employment status at Northwest Airlines."
Hickman is approaching the mandatory retirement age of 60, but pilots still facing prosecution are in their 30s, 40s and 50s.
The second tax-evasion trial is set for Dec. 2 in Washington County.
-- Liz Fedor is at [email protected].
Liz Fedor
Star Tribune
Published Oct 22, 2002
Northwest Airlines pilot Geoffrey Hickman was found guilty Monday of five felony counts of tax evasion, and he could be sentenced to up to 19 months in prison.
Hickman, 59, is the first of seven Northwest pilots being prosecuted over accusations of failing to pay Minnesota income taxes.
Dakota County District Judge Karen Asphaug concluded that Hickman evaded Minnesota income taxes from 1996 to 2000, even though he had lived in a custom-built home in Mendota Heights since 1995.
Prosecutors said Hickman should have paid more than $50,000 in Minnesota income taxes during those years.
Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar said, "Hickman knowingly and willingly evaded Minnesota income taxes by fraudulently claiming to live in a post office box in Florida, which is a state that doesn't have income taxes."
The tax-evasion cases originated with investigations by the Minnesota Department of Revenue. To provide consistency of prosecution, Hennepin County is handling all of the cases of pilots to be tried in Hennepin, Dakota and Washington counties.
Over a five-year period, Hickman listed a post office box in Carrabelle, Fla., as his address on his W-2 and federal income tax returns. In a written ruling, the judge said that Hickman had a fully furnished home in Minnesota and claimed homestead status on that residence for property tax purposes. She said he also registered two cars in Minnesota. The judge concluded that Hickman knew he had an obligation to file Minnesota income tax returns but "willfully failed" to file them.
"This was not a case of inadvertently forgetting to file taxes," Klobuchar said, adding that Hickman took "numerous steps to deliberately evade paying income taxes."
Bob Malone, Hickman's defense attorney, declined Monday to comment on whether an appeal will be filed. Hickman is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 12.
Klobuchar said her attorneys haven't settled on a sentencing recommendation, but Hickman will have to pay the taxes owed and penalties. Sentencing guidelines call for up to 19 months in prison, she said.
Hickman is still flying, Malone said.
But pilots might lose their jobs if felony convictions prevent them from getting the security clearances they need to gain access to cockpits.
Northwest spokesman Bill Mellon said, "We are investigating the impact of today's conviction on Mr. Hickman's employment status at Northwest Airlines."
Hickman is approaching the mandatory retirement age of 60, but pilots still facing prosecution are in their 30s, 40s and 50s.
The second tax-evasion trial is set for Dec. 2 in Washington County.
-- Liz Fedor is at [email protected].
