Woman Takes Plea Deal After Failing to Report Embezzled Funds to IRS

Janey Golani, 54, of Dearborn Heights pleaded guilty last week to willfully filing false tax returns after she failed to report tens of thousands of dollars embezzled from her employer as taxable income.

Golani made the admission in a plea agreement accepted Friday in U.S. District Court, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade, said in a statement Monday. Jarold Koopman, acting special agent of the Detroit field office of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation, which assisted in the case, joined in the announcement.

The government said Golani, who was employed by Hind Oram as office manager of several companies Oram owned, embezzled the money from 2006-2009, including $234,641 she failed to report in 2008, reducing her tax burden that year by $77,072.

Over the four years covered in the criminal complaint, her failure to report the money resulted in a loss to the government of $225,000. Golani entered the guilty plea in U.S. District Court before Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III.

The government said Golani knew that the income from the monies she embezzled was reportable as taxable income on her federal income tax returns, but intentionally failed to report this income.

“The Internal Revenue Tax Code is clear; income that is derived from illegal sources is subject to income tax. Ms. Golani stole from her employer and filed false tax returns, both serious,” Koopman said.

Sentencing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Jan. 9.