RUMFORD, Maine — The husband of a Rumford woman convicted of welfare fraud was indicted on tax evasion charges Friday in Oxford County Superior Court.
Scott D. Knowlton, 45, of Rumford is married to Amy Knowlton, who was found guilty of felony theft by deception in May for accepting more than $10,000 in state benefits while Scott, her then-boyfriend and the father of her children, was fishing in Alaska.
During that time, Scott Knowlton claimed a legal residence at Amy’s parents’ house in New Hampshire while she lived in Rumford with the children. At her trial in May, the Knowltons said he maintained the New Hampshire residence because of tax problems with his former wife and to avoid paying Maine income taxes on his Alaska wages. He was in the process of a divorce that was made final in 2008.
Assistant Attorney General Gregg Bernstein said the state charged Scott Knowlton with not paying Maine income taxes from 2006 to 2008. He also is charged with evasion of income tax, failure to make and file Maine income tax returns and failure to pay tax for each of the three years, for a total of nine charges.
Bernstein said Knowlton is accused of “claiming he was a resident of New Hampshire instead of Maine.”
During his wife’s trial, Knowlton said he worked on fishing boats off Alaska for more than half the year, and when he did return to New England his time was split between his legal residence with Amy Knowlton’s parents, his hometown of Waldoboro and Cape Cod, where he had friends.
Amy Knowlton is due for sentencing in Oxford County Superior Court on Sept. 4.
He should be arrested for welfare fraud also,he had to know what was going on.
small fish
The real issue being that this sort of thing happens a whole lot more than anyone wants to admit. Its disgusting, but ingrained in the lower class of society. There is no GOOD solution to it that won’t punish people that are legitimately in need of the help. This is one of those topics that has a ton of people on each side that don’t care to work with one another to develop a system that is fair and works and has checks and balances to keep people from committing fraud. I feel that those that are caught committing Welfare fraud deserve a far stiffer punishment than what is currently on the books.
Lower class of society??? when i was in the Air Force almost all the pilots went to pilot training in Texas and guess where every one of them became citizens of, for income tax purposes only of course.
I feel anyone serving in the Military shouldn’t have to pay taxes. they sacrifice enough while serving this country!
where do I sign up for my rebate??? And can we please stop with the everyone in the military is a saint stuff. I saw wife beaters, adulterers, drug and alcohol abuse, and yes even welfare cheats while I was in, I even abused a little alcohol myself. Most are honorable people and serve their country with pride, but they are a no different then the rest of society, and all branches of the military struggle with the same problems as civilian society. I know guys pulling down 30% disability for acid reflux. And if they are going into a combat zone they aren’t paying any taxes and getting hostile fire pay or combat pay. Shoot we had senior NCO’s who wouldn’t fly buy once a month, then they’d do an out and back to the desert (first gulf war) so they could pick up their hostile fire and tax exemption for the month. Then fly right back stateside.
Years ago many were given a choice in court-jail or the military.The line isn’t quite that neat now but it still happens in a roundabout way.To be fair,some took their chance and straightened up and flew right.Others found having a weapon and not being part of civilian society made those bad parts of their character much worse.
Some states dont collect taxes from Active duty service members.
Well now, aren’t you mighty haughty. I gotta disagree with ya SIR, I would be mighty careful who you are calling lower class society. We have had millionaires and up on welfare in this country for many years, or maybe they are getting a little more help on their income tax statement than they need, and just try to get a Republican to vote this away. We have people who live in another state 6 months and 6 days, then come here and spend the summer 5 months and 25 days, tax reasons maybe??But, I am not sure the neighbors would call them lower class, now would they? Fraud comes by dressed in all kinds of different kinds of coats, hats and frocks. This country tosses billions of our taxpayer income tax money all over the globe, some to fraudulent governments and people, so, don’t be so hasty as to deny a child, who did not ask to be here, little help in Maine. Lower class comes in all sizes, colors, big houses, little houses, trailers and mansions. Mostly be kind, non-judgemental, sounds like ya got it okay SIR, don’t brand a whole group for some are just trying to get a little bread for their children.
Well said… people tend to overlook fraud when it is committed by those who are actually well off. You are so right… cheaters, liars and thieves are all low class individuals and they exist in all income brackets!
Sounds like these folks were living pretty damn good!
It’s hard to say this is news. Baby-daddies are always in the picture while unwed mothers haul in the cash. Using an alternate address is standard operating procedure. So tired of watching this fraud go on all around us. Especially hard to see the “toys” (ATV’s..snowmobiles) parked in the yards of our “needy” families. While I go to work each day, they stay home, claiming every benefit they can dream up.
But it’s just a piece of paper! They don’t need that to prove their love. No, they don’t need that so they can reap the welfare bennies.
Can’t help but wonder WHY the “then-boyfriend” became the husband. Did it happen once their legal troubles began? That law about husbands and wives are not being compelled to testify against each other is ringing bells.
But, the CEO’s of bailed banks get their 10 million bonus, that’s okay, and the off-shore bank accounts by politicians that’s okay, the swiss bank accounts, that is okay, insider trading by our senators and congressmen that is okay, some of these atv’s may be relatives, there is usually not a direct mindset of will or delibrate wanting or meaning to fraud anyone, it is getting by that week or month. But I cannot suffer the children, they did not ask to be born, and they see the world and want to be liked, and they did not come into the world to irritate Mary Elizabeth Lahey, would you rather to give the rich another tax break and starve the children or just, what do you suggest, cardboard boxes to house them in?? I bet you would not like to live on what they get in these dreamed up benefits. Lighten up, be thankful for what you have, and try to find a solution to what makes you feel superior to in your life.
Didn’t live in Maine. Wasn’t working in Maine. How can Maine claim he owes them income taxes?
People always trying to get a free ride.
Where does the Govenor’s wife pay her taxes? She claimed residence in Florida so her children could go to school at in-state tuition. Even though they own a house in Florida isn’t that fraud as well? Of course they don’t have to be living together to be married, kinda the opposite of this story. I guess they can’t all be good marriage-minded Republicans like Newt.
I was thinking about that too… this is a very similar thing.
None of anyone’s business where she pays taxes except for
the IRS… Quit being so nosey… You will live longer. She doesn’t work for
you….
Your concern for my longevity is touching. Thank you for informing me that she doesn’t work for me, I’ve always wondered about that.
But I was told there is no welfare fraud.
Today the Bangor Daily has an article on a man who recieved a six month sentence for choking a woman until she passed out, once thinking he had killed her. It will be interesting to see if cheating the gov. out of “thier money” gets more time behing bars. I’m guessing it will…..
I agree, but the bleeding hearts dont want convict these people, instead they want to coddle and nurture them back to society.
I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t want to see people like this convicted.Those who need help(and yes there are plenty who are not getting it if they’re not on the list,etc.)are losing out to people like this.And honest taxpayers want their $$ well spent.The thing that is new and so sad is the pure meanness by so many who think it won’t happen to them.I have a friend who is in a wheelchair at age 26 through no fault of his own.Do you think he would be happy to work and pay taxes-and WALK!?
Tooday in th BDN there is a report of a man getting six months in jail for choking a woman twice.Once so bad he thought he killed her.It will be interesting to see how long of a sentence the man who cheated the state out of “thier” money gets…..
The comment below is related to the husband who was convicted of tax fraud in today’s BDN, Just to clarify
The wealthiest 1% don’t pay taxes, so why should he?