The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Roger Stone and his wife Nydia, accusing ex-POTUS Donald Trump's former campaign adviser of failing to pay income tax.
The lawsuit claims the republican politician along with his spouse used a commercial body to "shield their personal income from enforced collection and fund a lavish lifestyle despite owing nearly $2 million in unpaid taxes, interest, and penalties".
According to the legal action, the couple underpaid their income taxes by $1,590,361 from 2007 to 2011 and by $407,036 in 2018.
"Despite notice and demand for payment, Roger and Nydia Stone have failed and refused to pay the entire amount of the liabilities they owe", the suit argued.
The Justice Department also accused the couple of trying "to defraud the United States by maintaining their assets in Drake Ventures' accounts, which they completely controlled, and using these assets to purchase the Stone Residence in the name of the Bertran [Family Revocable] Trust" under Nydia Stone's control.
The 68-year-old politician responded by labelling the suit "yet another example of the Democrats weaponising the Justice Department in violation of the rule of law".
Stone also pledged "to fight these politically motivated charges", vowing that he "will prevail again".
In November 2019, the 68-year-old was convicted on seven felony counts, including witness tampering, obstruction of official proceeding, and making false statements under oath to Congress in relation to US Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation over claims that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. The probe finally revealed that there was no collusion between Trump and Russian officials ahead of the vote.