St. Louis, MO – John York was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States through his business, The Mortgage Store, Inc., in 2008.

According to court documents, York was a part owner of The Mortgage Store, Inc. (TMS) and the president of Title America. By 2008, TMS was a major mortgage brokering business with offices in four states and hundreds of employees. The main offices were in Westport Plaza and Wentzville. The businesses were operating at a financial deficit in 2008. TMS incurred over $600,000 in federal employment (including withholding) tax liabilities in the first three quarters of 2008 that were not paid over to the United States. There were not sufficient funds available to fund the disbursements from TMS and, in addition, to meet all of the expenses incurred by TMS including the delinquent employment tax liabilities. York received substantial distributions from TMS in 2008 despite the federal employment tax delinquencies. In addition, he and others at TMS directed that TMS funds be paid on loans for properties at Tan Tar A Resorts in the Lake of the Ozarks, and for a ranch property in Breckenridge, Colorado. He was..