Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Dr. Zachary Bird (51, Tampa) to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, for structuring cash transactions to evade bank reporting requirements. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $481,526.76, which represents the total amount of cash illegally structured in the case. A federal jury found Bird guilty of the offense on May 21, 2021. He was acquitted on other counts.
According to court documents, Bird operated Physicians Wellness and Pain Specialists, a pain management clinic, from May 2014 until it shuttered in June 2018. Bird used the proceeds he earned as a doctor to structure cash deposits for the purchase of a piece of real property in LaBelle, Florida. From February 6 through February 12, 2015, Bird structured 22 cash deposits, each under $10,000 and often occurring on the same day and minutes apart, totaling $193,175.76. Between March 10 and October 26, 2015, Bird structured another 38 cash deposits amounting to $288,351. In total, Bird structured $481,526.76 in cash deposits.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration—Tampa District Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Kelley Howard-Allen.