By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
After three days of deliberations, a federal jury in Seattle last week convicted an IRS agent of soliciting and accepting a bribe.
Paul G. Hurley, 43, of Seattle, was convicted on two felony counts on Friday. Sentencing is set for May 13.
According to testimony at trial and records filed in the case, authorities said that Hurley in the summer of 2015 was randomly assigned to audit the corporate taxes of Have a Heart Compassion Care, Inc., a medical marijuana dispensary.
During a meeting at one of the dispensary locations, Hurley presented the owner with the findings of the audit and said he had saved him “millions” during the audit, and he lived paycheck to paycheck, according to a press release.
Hurley asked the owner for $20,000.
The business owner and his attorney reported the solicitation of a bribe to the FBI.
Working with the FBI, the business owner met twice with Hurley and recorded conversations and delivered cash in marked bills, authorities said. Some of the cash was seized when Hurley was arrested following the second meeting with the business owner.
