Defendant Sentenced In Conspiracy Case

The final defendant has been sentenced in a criminal conspiracy in which self-proclaimed constitutionalists tried to defraud the federal government and banks of billions of dollars.

Dr. George Michael Gott of Boise was sentenced to nine years in federal prison Monday after being convicted last Oct. 9 on 23 counts, U.S. Attorney Betty Richardson said.

It included conspiracy to defraud the government, mail fraud, bank fraud, mailing threatening communication, trying to impede a federal officer and threatening to interfere with commerce by extortion.

Gott also was fined $5,000 and will be under supervised release for five years following his release.

Gott’s wife, Rosanne Elaine Gott, received a nine-year sentence on March 9. Joseph Brodin of Meridian, Richard Iverson of Union Town, Ohio, and Camilla Burns of Gem County were sentenced on Dec. 18 to prison terms ranging from 10 to 17-1/2 years.

They placed their property in fraudulent common-law “trusts” to disguise their assets and avoid income tax and creditors. They also filed common-law liens and levies against people who opposed them in court and business relations.

When the lien recipients failed to pay up, the defendants sent them threatening collection letters and contacted credit reporting agencies and banks to try and harm them financially.

Evidence at trial showed the Gotts owed $30,000 in back taxes and Dr. Gott owed more than $77,000 in unpaid student loans.