Jennifer Brunenkant, the 68-year-old former owner of a D.C.-based marijuana dispensary, has pleaded guilty to significant federal tax evasion charges. According to a press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, Brunenkant admitted to skirting over $1.2 million in taxes from 2017 to 2021. Her guilty plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan.
In her plea, Brunenkant confessed to neglecting income and employment taxes linked with her business, Herbal Alternatives II, LLC. The investigation, which uncovered her failure to file federal taxes despite claiming otherwise on D.C. tax forms, was led by the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C., Office. Her actions didn't just stop at falsified documents, as she also misled law enforcement during a July 2023 interview, where Brunenkant falsely stated she had indeed filed her returns.
As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the government plans to seek restitution for the over $1.2 million owed during Brunenkant's sentencing, which is scheduled for November 20. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Kelly is prosecuting the case following an in-depth examination of the dispensary owner's financial misconduct.
