From Deseret News archives:
Nevada man to serve time for conspiracy
U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart sentenced R. Scot Stokes of Henderson, Nev., to 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Stokes pleaded guilty in February to filing more than 2,000 false and fraudulent income and trust tax returns, defrauding the United States government of nearly $10 million.
According to court documents, Stokes admitted that from 1994 to 2004, he and his conspirators, using the names Advanta Strategies, World Contractual Services and Cornerstone West LLC, marketed and sold a fraudulent trust scheme to more than 300 clients through domestic and offshore seminars, promotional materials and opinion letters.
Stokes and his conspirators falsely represented to clients that by placing their businesses and assets into the names of trusts, the clients could lawfully eliminate or substantially reduce their income tax liabilities, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
At least eight Utah businessmen have been convicted for their participation in similar plots involving the same companies. They are currently serving time in federal prison and were ordered to pay fines up to $250,000.
