WASHINGTON — The former general manager and
spokeswoman for the late pop star Michael Jackson admitted her guilt
Wednesday in federal court on two counts of failing to pay hundreds of
thousands of dollars in taxes.
In plea documents filed Wednesday, Raymone Bain
acknowledged neglecting to pay income taxes to the IRS and the District
of Columbia from 2006 to 2008. She specifically pleaded guilty to
charges related to her unpaid 2008 taxes.
Bain started working for Jackson in 2006. She was
responsible for managing his daily financial, marketing and public
relations operations.
Bain, who will be sentenced on Aug. 31, faces a
maximum prison term of 12 months for the federal charge and six months
for the Washington criminal violation, along with a maximum combined
fine of $105,000. She also agreed to pay back taxes to the IRS and the
District of Columbia.
Because she negotiated a plea bargain, Bain probably
will receive a much-reduced sentence compared with what she would have
received had she fought the charges and lost.
Federal officials involved in the case declined to
comment. Bain’s lawyer, Fred Cooke, declined to comment when reached by
McClatchy Newspapers. But in earlier comments to The Washington Post, he
said, “Raymone is probably guilty of tending to other people’s issues
more than her own,” but “absolutely, positively” accepted responsibility
for her actions.
“The Office of Tax and Revenue, in conjunction with
the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to aggressively pursue and
prosecute tax fraud and evasion cases, in the interest of protecting
District revenue and bringing violators to justice,” said Natalie
Wilson, a spokeswoman for the District of Columbia tax office.
Jackson, known as the “king of pop,” died June 25, 2009, after an overdose of the prescription anesthesia drug propofol.
His resident physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, pleaded
not guilty in February 2010 to charges of involuntary manslaughter in
connection with Jackson’s death. His trial is scheduled to start in
September.
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