Former tax fugitive from Ladera Ranch sentenced to prison

By Sean Emery | semery@scng.com | Orange County Register

May 9, 2016 at 4:44 p.m.

A former Orange County man who fled the country and spent five years as a fugitive to avoid criminal tax charges was sentenced on Monday to a year and a day in prison.

Along with time behind bars, United States District Judge Percy Anderson ordered former Ladera Ranch resident Donald M. Baxi to pay $53,319 in restitution

As part of a plea deal, Baxi, 69, admitted to filing false or incomplete tax returns for Vintages Wine Bar in 2003, 2004 and 2005. He had initially faced six felony counts, with authorities earlier alleging that he also under reported sales for another partnership, Vintages Insurance Marketing.

Just prior to a grand jury indictment being filed in November, 2010, an IRS special agent met with Baxi and his attorney to inform them that he was the target of a criminal tax investigation.

Authorities say Baxi responded by leaving the country, and a warrant was put out for his arrest. On June 17, he was arrested in Germany.

Contact the writer: semery@ocregister.com