n staff report
Hollister – A couple arrested for defrauding the state of more than $100,000 pleaded guilty to charges that will send them to jail for several months and require them to pay more than double the amount of money they owed, according to tax officials.
Corrina Lona, who was arrested a year ago on three felony counts of state income tax fraud, pleaded guilty to one felony count of filing a false income tax return and a felony white collar crime enhancement last week as part of a plea bargain, said John Barrett, spokesman for the State Franchise Tax Board. Her husband, Jonas, also was arrested on three felony counts of tax fraud but pleaded to one misdemeanor count of filing a false income tax return, he said.
Corrina will be sentenced Feb. 23 and will spend between 120 to 180 days in the county jail, Barrett said. Jonas will call the county jail home for between 60 to 120 days after he is sentenced on the same day as his wife, Barrett said.
Corrina defrauded the government of about $110,000 over a three-year period after failing to report money she earned selling pre-paid phone cards, Barrett said. But because of penalties, interest and investigation costs, the amount of restitution the couple must pay back to the state more than doubled.
Corrina Lona, who failed to file taxes between 1999 and 2001, earned $1.29 million selling phone cards, Barrett said. She sold them to businesses in Hollister and surrounding areas, and was paid in cash.
The couple purchased a $1.1 million home just outside Hollister, a Jaguar, BMW, GMC Sierra and Porsche Carrera, along with two pieces of property in the city, Barrett said.
