Seattle IRS Agent Behind Bars After Accepting a $20,000 Cannabis Bribe
By Allie Beckett, Marijuana.com
(Photo: Master Video).
A couple of days ago it was announced that a former Seattle IRS agent, who took a $20,000 bribe from Seattle’s Have a Heart Cafe, was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison.
According to the Seattle PI, Federal prosecutors described Hurley, 44, as a corrupt tax collector who took in $20,000 to cook the books for the marijuana business. However, his attorneys argued Hurley took the money as “gratuity” – a tip – for advice he provided the business owner.
The U.S. Attorney’s office proclaims they are disturbed by Hurley’s actions as described in the court papers, “The defendant’s corrupt conduct in this case not only erodes the public’s confidence in the fair administration of the tax laws by the IRS, it also weakens the public’s trust in all areas of government.”
Here’s the story — last year when Hurley audited Seattle dispensary, Have a Heart, he told the owner, Ryan Kunkel, that he had saved the business $1 million. Hurley then held out his hand for his share of the green and Kunkel lead him on, feeling there was no other choice at the moment. Immediately after, Kunkel disclosed what happened to his attorney who then contacted the FBI. The feds told Kunkel to keep playing along as they set up a sting operation. Under FBI guidance, Kunkel set up a time and place for the transaction where they could catch Hurley red-handed. When they met up in Kunkel’s car outside of a Starbucks, Kunkel handed Hurley $20,000 in marked bills. Unfortunately for Hurley, when he stepped out of the car he was met with federal agents who took him into custody.
Throughout the trial, it was made clear that Hurley was under an overwhelming amount of student debt from two law degrees and even was under the impression his job at the IRS was in jeopardy before this interaction. He expressed his shame in an apology letter to his boss reported by the Seattle Times, “I have let everyone down in the Seattle office and all across the United States and have brought a cloud of shame to the Internal Revenue Service.”
In February, Hurley appeared in front of a jury and was found guilty of accepting a bribe. Former-IRS agent, Paul G. Hurley, fought federal prosecutors who were seeking a 7 year term; Hurley’s attorney declared a 1 year sentence would be punishment enough. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour settled somewhere in the middle and sentenced him to a 2 ½ year term followed by 3 years of probation.