Three leaders of Yoga to the People, a national yoga business, were arrested Wednesday in Washington state after being charged with tax fraud. Before its collapse, the franchise had branded itself as charitable, with donation-funded or free classes so that more people could access the practice. All the while, Gregory Gumucio, Michael Anderson, and Haven Solimon did not file individual or business tax returns between 2013 and 2020, nor did they pay income taxes, the feds say. “As alleged, the defendants operated lucrative nationwide yoga business, which brought in over $20 million and netted them each substantial sums, permitting them to live lavish lifestyles,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams. The three yogis paid employees off the books and in cash, failed to provide employees with tax documentation, and dabbled in other methods to “perpetuate their scheme,” Williams said. Examples of their “lavish lifestyles” included NFL season tickets, frequent international travel, horseback riding, and expensive dining and retail. Now all three are charged with five counts of tax evasion, each carrying a maximum penalty of five years, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS, with a maximum penalty of five years too. Yoga to the People, which started in New York City, shut down in July 2020, and in the wake of its closure, some former employees accused the business of being “cultlike,” alleging they were exploited while working there.
