A prominent tattoo artist in Los Angeles, known as "Hollywood's Go-To Tattoo Artist," has admitted to filing false tax returns, evading over $641,000 in federal income tax. Daniel Joseph Winter, 43, who goes by the name "winterstone," pleaded guilty to one count of subscription to a false tax return.
Winter ran his tattoo business across Los Angeles, New York, and Vancouver, Canada. He specialized in single-needle fine-line tattoos for high-end clients. His work generated significant income from 2021 to 2023, totaling at least $1.7 million. However, he did not declare any wages or salaries on his tax filings with the IRS.
According to his plea agreement, Winter reported inaccurate taxable incomes: negative $3,442 instead of $501,710 for 2021; $1,105 instead of $347,159 for 2022; and $14,852 instead of $850,447 for 2023. This underreporting led to a reduction in taxes owed by more than $641,000.
During the hearing today, Winter presented a cashier’s check for $641,959 to cover the unpaid taxes from the underreported income between 2021 and 2023. He also confessed that he knowingly failed to report all his earnings and primarily accepted cash payments for his services to obscure his actual income from the IRS.
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II has set an August 11 sentencing date where Winter could face up to three years in federal prison.
Assistant United States Attorney Ranee Katzenstein is prosecuting the case.