WILMINGTON, Del. - Kevin Fleming, Lewes, Del., known worldwide for his photography, plead guilty Wednesday in federal court to tax evasion charges.
Prosecutors allege Fleming failed to pay taxes between 2013 and 2017, and over an eighteen month period, kept tax withholdings totaling $22,584 from his employees instead of paying that money to the Internal Revenue Service, and diverting funds from a corporation he set up to pay for personal expenses..
Fleming originally plead not guilty in November, 2019 to multiple counts of tax evasion. Wednesday he plead guilty to tax evasion for 2013.
"Mr. Fleming has taken responsibility for his actions and deeply regrets the mistakes he has made in his life," said Conor Wilson, Fleming's attorney. Wilson said he will look to have the other charges dropped at sentencing.
Here is a breakdown of Fleming's income in four of the years he is charged with tax evasion, according to the indictment:
2013: $248,348
2014: $279,774
2015: $299,639
2016: $248,593
Fleming is scheduled to be sentenced January 6, 2021, and is facing a maximum of five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, supervised release, and restitution for back taxes.
Fleming previously worked as a staff photographer for the News Journal in Wilmington and National Geographic. He has published more than 20 photography books.
He is also the former owner of a photo gallery in Rehoboth Beach, Del.