Feds: Fuel scammer threatens witness

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Evan Knoll, who pleaded guilty in July to a $100 million bank fraud, had his bond revoked after he allegedly threatened a government witness.

Knoll, whose Torco Racing is also known as General Sales and Service (GS&S), admitted he created false documents between September 2004 - February 2008 that showed his company sold large amounts of tax-exempt racing fuel. He then used those records to file with the IRS and requested refunds for the fuel taxes he supposedly paid.

Overall, he requested refunds of more than $100 million from the IRS, and received more than $80 million in refunds.

After his plea in July, he was freed on bond with sentencing set for November 21.

But his bond was revoked and he was incarcerated on November 6 after allegedly trying to regain possession of his guns and threatening a witness.

In a release, the US Attorneys Office in Grand Rapids said "Knoll had used derogatory names towards the government witness and had offered to inflict physical harm against the government witness" on October 17.

Knoll lives in Van Buren County. On October 29, the US Attorneys Office said, Knoll asked a man who was keeping Knoll's guns to return them to him. Knoll told the man he had "buyers for his guns." The man contacted the Van Buren County Sheriff's Department, who called the US Attorneys Office.

Both the threat of the witness and the attempt to regain his guns were clear violations of his probation, the federal officers said, and Knoll was taken into custody.

He faces up to 30 years in prison and up to $1 million in fines. Knoll may also be responsible to re-pay $89,976,953 to the US Treasury and a combined $13 million to Chemical Bank and Comerica Bank when he is sentenced later this month.