Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion After Using Third-Party Bank Accounts and Payment Apps to Shield Funds

A Maine man has pleaded guilty to tax evasion after federal prosecutors said he used bank accounts held in other people’s names, together with payment apps including Cash App and PayPal, to keep control of money while frustrating Internal Revenue Service collection efforts.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine said Brandon Wilson, 55, of Hampden pleaded guilty on August 31, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Portland to one count of tax evasion. The Justice Department announced the plea on September 1.

Accounts held in other names

According to court records cited by prosecutors, Wilson owed substantial back taxes arising from returns covering 2010 through 2017. After the IRS levied bank accounts in his own name, he began operating his debt-collection business without maintaining bank accounts under his own name.

Instead, accounts were opened under the names of individuals operating businesses in Massachusetts and Virginia. Prosecutors said those entities ostensibly provided debt-collection services for Wilson, but also held money and carried out personal and business transactions on his behalf.

Wilson directed specific payments from the accounts and also received a series of smaller payments through Cash App, PayPal and other channels. The arrangement allowed him to continue exercising control over funds while making it more difficult for the IRS to collect the taxes he owed.

Sentencing to follow

Wilson faces up to one year and one day in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release. Sentencing will take place after preparation of a presentence investigation report, with the final sentence to be determined by the federal district judge.

The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.

The case illustrates how tax-evasion schemes can overlap with broader illicit-finance typologies when third-party accounts and multiple payment channels are used to obscure effective control of funds. For financial institutions and payment providers, such arrangements can create relevant indicators around nominee account use, fragmented payment flows and attempts to shield assets from lawful collection.