BETHEL JOURNAL
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Indian Hill man guilty of tax fraud has $2 million home Kevin Grasha
Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
An Indian Hill man who prosecutors said earned $1 million a year through two used car dealerships has been convicted by a federal jury of multiple tax fraud charges. Greg VanDemark, the owner of Used Car Supermarket, claimed on tax returns that he owed no taxes for 2013 and 2014, offi cials said – even though he earned $1 million per year from the business. It has locations in Amelia and Batavia. Between 2013 and 2014, VanDemark also structured approximately $157,000 in mostly cash payments made on a home mortgage at a Bethel bank to avoid currency transaction reporting requirements. The payments were all under $10,000. Prosecutors also said VanDemark, 64, skimmed 25 percent of his business earnings to alter the taxes he owed and claimed numerous improper deductions. A jury in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati reached its verdicts Wednesday, March 18, offi cials said. Because of the new coronavirus outbreak, jurors were spread across the courtroom during the trial, for social distancing purposes. Prosecutors said VanDemark lied to IRS special agents in 2016 when he told them all the money he made from his business was deposited in the bank, and he never skimmed cash from his businesses. According to property records, at the same time as he was committing tax fraud, VanDemark lived in a $2 million, fi ve-bedroom home in Indian Hill. He also owned a home in Florida and one along the Ohio River designed to resemble a riverboat. Prosecutors said he falsely deducted that riverboat replica home on his taxes as a bed-and-breakfast. VanDemark was convicted of fi ling false income tax returns with the IRS, structuring transactions to evade
Greg VanDemark’s home along the Ohio River is designed to resemble a riverboat. Prosecutors said Vandemark falsely deducted it on his taxes as a bed-and-breakfast. COURTESY OF U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
reporting requirements, and making a false statement. He faces possible prison time as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars in fi nes. A sentencing date was not set. The case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney David DeVillers' offi ce. Bryant Jackson, special agent for IRS Criminal In-
vestigation, said in a statement: "The jury has sent a very strong message to business owners and taxpayers that if you skirt your income tax liabilities, try to avoid the currency reporting requirement and then lie about it, you will be judged guilty for such conduct by a jury of your peers."
Backbeat crowned favorite beer in Cincinnati for 2020 Rasputin Todd Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
One beer to rule them all! After 6 rounds of fan voting, 66,586 votes tallied, 259 beers from 52 breweries defeated ... We have a winner. Backbeat Coff ee Blonde Ale from Big Ash Brewing is Cincinnati's Favorite Beer 2020! Backbeat was the Cinderella story of the bracket from day one as one of the newer breweries on the list, getting the secondmost votes in the nomination round, second only to fan-favorite Truth from Rhinegeist. That got Backbeat a 1 seed in the bracket of 32 top-nominated beers. That momentum continued into the fi rst round of head-to-head matchups when it took out 8 seed Coast to Coast (Fifty West) with a voting score of 1,090 to 723. But after that, the coff ee creation really took off , more than doubling the votes of its competitor in every following round. In the Sweet 16 round, Big Ash laid the Backbeatdown on 5 seed Vlad (Fretboard) 1,771 to 672. Backbeat continued it's domination in the Elite 8, beating 3 seed Tropic Flare (Braxton) 1,990 to 757. Then, in the Final Four, Backbeat really proved itself the contender to beat, rolling through the 2019 champion Gavel Banger (Taft's) 2,629 to 1,220. It came down to rookie vs. rookie in the fi nal matchup with Backbeat taking on fellow Cinderella story, 1 seed Suh, Brah? (Streetside). After the extended 3-day voting period, Backbeat took the trophy with a score of 3,396 to 1,688.
About the winner Partnering with Luckman’s Coff ee, a stone’s throw
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Big Ash’s Backbeat Coffee Blonde: 5.8%, new brewery on the block, uses a Guatemalan coffee blend from local Luckman Coffee, right down the street. PROVIDED
from the brewery, Backbeat’s light, malty backbone is enhanced by Huehuetenango, a Guatemalan blend with sweet, fruity notes without any harsh roastiness. Backbeat is currently only available at the Big Ash Brewing taproom (fi ll up a growler and take it home!) but will be available in cans in the coming months. Big
Ash has Cincinnati's fi rst pour-your-own tap system, where you pick your brew from their collection of taps, pour it yourself and pay by the ounce. Big Ash Brewing is located at 5230 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Township, 513-401-6868, bigashbrewing.com.
For the Postmaster: Published weekly every Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH 45202 and at additional mailing offices. ISSN 1066-7458 ❚ USPS 053-040 Postmaster: Send address change to The Bethel Journal, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 Annual subscription: Weekly Journal In-County $18.00; All other in-state and out-of-state $20.00.
Vol. 179th No. 351 © 2020 The Community Recorder ALL RIGHTS RESERVED $1.00
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