‘Lavish lifestyle’: New Braunfels business owner gets 18 months in prison for tax evasion

Rachel Nicole Woolard, 50, was sentenced in federal court

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SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels business woman who failed to account for and pay her taxes was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the Department of Justice said Thursday.

Rachel Nicole Woolard, 50, was sentenced by a judge in a federal court in San Antonio.

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“Woolard made a conscious decision to evade paying nearly $1 million in taxes, enabling her to live a more lavish lifestyle. She knowingly engaged in illegal activity and now she must pay the price,” Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office said. “This sentencing, occurring during tax season, emphasizes the dedication of CI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensuring tax criminals are held accountable for their actions.”

The Department of Justice said Woolard owned and operated a healthcare staffing company called Reliance Therapy Staffing, LLC. and from the first quarter of 2018 through the first quarter of 2020 failed to account for and pay over employment taxes for nine tax periods, resulting in a total tax loss of more than $924,000.

Woolard has been orded to pay the full amount in restitution to the U.S. Treasury.

“This defendant largely ignored the financial accountability that comes with owning and operating a business,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “It is critical to understand, especially in the middle of tax season, your responsibility when it comes to paying taxes. If you choose to pocket taxes that you owe, our partners at IRS Criminal Investigation will uncover your fraud and we will hold you accountable with serious consequences.”


About the Author

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.

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