LA doctor and minister pleads not guilty to tax evasion charge stemming from herbal cure-all

LA doctor pleads not guilty to tax evasion, fraud

LOS ANGELES — A doctor and ordained minister pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of failing to report more than $1 million in income from an herbal product she allegedly promoted as a cure for cancer.

Christine Daniel, who operated Sonrise Medical Clinic in the San Fernando Valley, was arraigned on tax evasion, wire fraud, mail fraud, witness tampering and criminal forfeiture charges.

Daniel is accused of failing to report $1.29 million on corporate income tax returns and more than $315,000 on personal income tax returns. She was indicted in September.

If convicted, Daniel could face as many as 130 years in federal prison and fines totaling $2.1 million.

Her attorney Femi J. Banjo said the Pentecostal minister was simply giving terminally ill cancer patients supplements to keep their energy levels up and never promised they would be healed.

During the time the government claims Daniel evaded taxes, the doctor was not drawing any income from the clinic, Banjo said.

Trial is scheduled for June.