By Lori Ehde
Jubilee Foods owner Tony Bosch has been indicted by a federal grand jury for tax evasion, and entered a not guilty plea May 29 in U.S. District Court, Sioux Falls.
According to the indictment filed May 21, charges stem from his 1996 federal tax return.
The document states Bosch, a former Luverne resident, "did willfully attempt to evade and defeat a large part of the income tax due and owing by him and his spouse to the United States of America ... by filing and causing to be filed ... a false and fraudulent joint U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, on behalf of himself and his spouse."
Bosch reportedly stated their joint income for 1996 was $60,296 and that the amount of tax due was $27,791. The indictment alleges he filed this information while knowing their joint income was $386,244 and that he owed $119,056 in taxes.
Bosch indicated he may change his not guilty plea in the future to close the case. "After five and half years, this is finally coming to a head," he said. "We're just getting it over with and life will go on."
Bosch, 49, now lives in rural Corson, S.D. He owns Tony's Catering and the Jubilee Foods franchise, including the store in Brandon, S.D.
He sold the Luverne store last year to his son, Brent Bosch, and Larry Goebel, who own the store as a joint venture. Tony Bosch co-owns the Jubilee store in Rock Rapids, Iowa, with Goebel.
A trial date has not been set, but if found guilty of tax evasion, Bosch faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and or $250,000 in fines, plus restitution.