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Man admits evading $800,000 in taxes to pay for housekeepers, boat

A 52-year-old Highland Park man has agreed to plead guilty to evading more than $800,000 in personal and corporate income taxes over five years.

Jordan Eckerling faces up to five years in prison at his sentencing hearing in May, though a plea agreement indicates federal prosecutors are likely to seek between 2½ years and three years in prison based on his lack of criminal history and other mitigating factors. Eckerling would be required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence.

In the agreement, Eckerling admits to evading state and federal income taxes both personally and through his cellphone distributorship from 2008 through 2012 in the amount of $806,099.

Instead, prosecutors said Eckerling used the money for personal expenses, including housekeepers for his boat and two residences. Eckerling also used the money to travel with his family to Cancun, Mexico, according to court papers.

In addition to prison, Eckerling will be ordered to repay the taxes owed to Illinois and the IRS and could face up to a $100,000 fine, prosecutors said.

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