Former fundraiser for Omaha police nonprofits faces new tax evasion, wire fraud charges (2024)

A former fundraiser for multiple Omaha police nonprofits faces new counts of tax evasion and wire fraud in connection with his fundraising activities for the Latino Peace Officers Association, according to a superseding indictment filed Tuesday.

The new charges could delay the upcoming trial for Jack Olson, 67, currently set to begin on June 10. Olson was indicted last year alongside two former Omaha police officers — Johnny Palermo and Richard Gonzalez — on allegations that he kept up to 80% of charity donations meant for the LPOA for himself without disclosing the cut to donors.

The indictment makes major revisions to Olson’s original indictment from 2023, in which he faced a total of four felony charges: One count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of honest services fraud and two counts of wire fraud.

Olson now faces eight felony charges — three counts of wire fraud and four counts of tax evasion as well as the wire fraud conspiracy charge. The honest services fraud conspiracy count, which was based upon allegations that Olson used his police connections to impede a rape investigation in which he was a suspect, is not included in the superseding indictment.

The only part of the indictment without major changes is the underlying wire fraud conspiracy. Both Gonzalez and Palermo pleaded guilty to the wire fraud conspiracy in recent months.

The indictment alleges Johnny Palermo, who was the president of LPOA, and Gonzalez, who purported to be a board member, facilitated a scheme in which Olson was allowed to keep a large cut of LPOA donations without the board’s knowledge or approval.

The indictment makes major revisions to Olson’s original indictment from 2023, in which he faced a total of four felony charges: One count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of honest services fraud and two counts of wire fraud.

Olson now faces eight felony charges — three counts of wire fraud and four counts of tax evasion as well as the wire fraud conspiracy charge. The honest services fraud conspiracy count, which was based upon allegations that Olson used his police connections to impede a rape investigation in which he was a suspect, is not included in the superseding indictment. A summary of the indictment filed by federal prosecutors said the government no longer plans to pursue the honest services fraud count at trial.

Olson’s attorney, federal public defender Korey Reiman, previously contested this characterization. He said Olson had a written contract with LPOA specifying the amount of donations he would take. Reiman further said Olson met with both FBI and IRS officials during the investigation and willingly disclosed the percentage he was taking from LPOA donations under his contract.

The new allegations of tax evasion claim that from 2018 to 2021, Olson failed to pay taxes on more than $390,000 of taxable income he received through his cut of the LPOA donations.

Prosecutors said he intentionally obscured the source of his income and kept much of his money in cash in order to avoid detection by the IRS. Olson was never issued a W-2 or 1099 tax form from LPOA, which the indictment alleges was done “in an effort to hide and conceal” his income.

“(Olson) was paid a percentage of the LPOA donations via cash withdrawal from LPOA’s bank account and/or via cashier’s check,” according to the indictment. “By receiving payment in cash and cashing checks at LPOA’s bank, (Olson) was able to affirmatively conceal the source of the cash deposited into his various bank accounts.”

In total, across the four years, the indictment alleges Olson was paid $390,730 by the LPOA and was liable for $95,705 in income taxes. He never reported any of this income to the IRS, according to the indictment.

Of the $390,730 that Olson withdrew in cash from LPOA bank accounts, he deposited approximately $144,595 into his own bank accounts, according to the indictment.

Neither officials at the U.S. Attorney’s Office nor Reiman immediately responded to Omaha World-Herald requests for comment, but both said previously they are not authorized to publicly comment on the case.