Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – A prominent tattoo artist, once identified in the press as “Hollywood’s Go-To Tattoo Artist,” pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns through which he evaded the payment of more than $641,000 in federal income tax.
Daniel Joseph Winter, 43, who uses the moniker “winterstone,” pleaded guilty to one count of subscription to a false tax return.
Winter operated his tattoo business in the Los Angeles area, New York and Vancouver, Canada, specializing in single-needle fine-line tattoos and catering to high-end clients. His tattoos were expensive, and he earned substantial income from his work as a tattoo artist and related endeavors.
According to his plea agreement, Winter earned at least $1.7 million from his tattoo business from 2021 to 2023. But he declared no wages, salaries or tip income on the tax returns he signed and filed with the IRS. For 2021, he reported taxable income of negative $3,442 instead of his actual taxable income of $501,710; for 2022, he reported taxable income of $1,105 instead of his actual taxable income of $347,159; and for 2023, he reported income of $14,852, instead of his actual taxable income of $850,447.
By underreporting his actual income in this way, Winter reduced the taxes he appeared to owe by more than $641,000. At today’s hearing, Winter presented a cashier’s check in the amount of $641,959 to the court to pay the taxes he owed due to the underreporting of his income for 2021 through 2023.
Winter also admitted in court today that he knew he was required to report all his income but willfully lied about it on his tax returns. He accepted payment for his tattoo services almost exclusively in cash, making it harder for the IRS to determine his true income.
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II scheduled an August 11 sentencing hearing, at which time Winter will face a statutory maximum sentence of three years in federal prison.
Assistant United States Attorney Ranee Katzenstein of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.