ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Russell Fournier, 63, of Stafford, Va., was sentenced today to 25 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for failing to pay more than $700,000 in employment taxes from 2000 to 2008.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Eric Hylton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C., Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Fournier was pleaded on Oct. 21, 2011.
“Mr. Fournier was using the federal government as a line of credit, and today his bill came due,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “This case and the many others we have brought should serve as a warning to other small businesses that cheating the government is not a good business strategy.”
“The IRS-Criminal Investigation Division takes these violations of law very seriously,” said Acting SAC Hylton. “Employment tax fraud can also impact employees, who may see future benefits such as Social Security, Medicare or Unemployment Compensation reduced or eliminated because of their employers not complying with the law.”
According to court documents, Fournier was a co-owner of Virginia Mobile Homes, Inc. (VMH), a Virginia corporation that sold mobile home trailers. In that capacity, Fournier was responsible for VMH’s tax and financial affairs, including the filing of VMH’s quarterly employment tax returns and paying over to the IRS the Federal Insurance Contributions Act and federal income taxes that were withheld from VMH employees. For nearly a decade, Fournier failed to file his company’s tax returns and pay to the IRS his company’s taxes. As a result, Fournier deprived the federal government of $722,485.43 between 2000 and 2008. In that time, Fournier used company funds to purchase for himself and his family luxury cars and trips abroad.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney Chad Golder prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
-Unedited press releaseÂ
Recent Stories
As Memorial Day approaches, local officials are ramping up safety efforts at Lake Anna in response to last summer’s E. coli outbreak that left two dozen people sick—most of them children.
STAFFORD, Va. – Laudenbach Brewing wants your help naming a key part of its identity—the horse in its logo.
Three Civil War soldiers found during a 2015 excavation were finally laid to rest in Fredericksburg National Cemetery after years of research and coordination with the National Park Service.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. – The Aging Gracefully Expo returns to Potomac Mills mall on Thursday, May 23, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., promising more vendors and more opportunities for older adults and caregivers to discover services that support aging in place.
The Montgomery County Women’s Chorus will present a concert to benefit the Betty Ann Krahnke shelter for survivors of domestic violence. 100% of ticket sales (less any online processing fees) will go to the shelter.
The concert will take place at 3:30 pm on Sunday, May 18th at Darnestown Presbyterian Church, located at 15120 Turkey Foot Rd in Gaithersburg. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased at https://www.mocosings.org/events-1/nocturnes-and-lullabies-benefit-concert.
The program, Nocturnes and Lullabies, spans numerous centuries and genres, and includes beloved favorites from Johannes Brahms, Leonard Bernstein, and Billy Joel, among many others. We’ll be joined by three of the DMV’s premiere professional instrumentalists – Cara Dailey, flute, Matthew Maffett, viola, and Rachel Flicker, piano.
Empower Your Future: Leadership, Mentorship, Education, and Networking — Calling middle and high school students for FREE Educational Summer Programming!
LLT STEMpower Camp at Marymount University
Middle School Students | Two Sessions:
July 7–11, 2025
Your Weight Matters National Convention
Hosted by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) since 2012, this highly-anticipated gathering is the nation’s leading gathering focused on empowering individuals with science-based education, support and practical tools for managing weight and improving health.
This unique Convention truly has something
Van Metre 5K Run
Participate in the 33rd Annual Van Metre 5K Run—a race that goes further than 3.1 miles, where every stride you take supports Children’s National Hospital. The Van Metre 5K Run donates 100% of proceeds to Children’s National Hospital and has
