TTB Announces Guilty Plea for Smuggling Korean Distilled Spirit into U.S.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau states on August 11, 2011 Do Young “Nick” Lee, 42, of Tysons Corner, VA, in the business of importing alcohol from Korea, admitted to smuggling a distilled spirit into the U.S., failing to pay the proper taxes on the imports, and laundering the profits back into the operation. Lee operated Morning Calm International, Inc., principally based in Philadelphia, which imported the distilled spirit Cheungpung Soju. Lee admitted that to reduce the amount of excise taxes levied on his imports, he submitted, and caused customs brokers to submit, documents to U.S. Customs and Border Protection claiming that the Soju was rice wine.
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The smuggling charge to which Lee pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine; the money laundering charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine; and the evasion of excise tax charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Lee is currently scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2011.