Former Nike executive Ronald N. Hartfeil, 52, of Oregon City has pleaded guilty to filing a false federal income tax return, and to failing to report the importation of more than $20,000 from Korea. His wife, Debra L. Hartfeil, 52, of Oregon City, also pleaded guilty to filing the false federal income tax return, which was a joint return.



Sentencing is scheduled for March 8 before U.S. District Judge James Redden. The couple pleaded guilty before Redden on Tuesday.



Ronald Hartfeil and Debra Hartfeil jointly made and filed a 2007 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return that contained material false information, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Portland.



The tax return said their 2007 adjusted gross income was $1,879,061, which was based primarily on income Ronald Hartfeil earned as a Nike executive.



The couple also received $100,000 from a Korean footwear manufacturer in addition to the amount stated in the return, the news release says.



The Hartfeils also failed to report $100,000 on their joint 2006 federal tax return, and $100,000on their joint 2005 federal tax return.



If the Hartfeils had reported their other income on their joint federal tax returns, the additional tax liability would have been $4,269 for 2005, $3,617 for2006, and $17,265 for 2007, the news release says.



Ronald Hartfeil also admitted that, on Sept. 16, 2007, he knowingly transported $20,000 in traveler's checks to the United States from Korea. Hartfeil knew he was required to report that he was transporting more than $10,000, and he purposely evaded the reporting requirement when he failed to file the report when he entered the United States, the news release says.



He further evaded the reporting requirement by attempting to mail an additional $10,000 in traveler's checks to the United States from Korea on about September 15, 2007.



Ronald Hartfeil was Nike's global operations director from 2004 to 2007, according to his LinkedIn profile. He began working for the sporting goods giant based near Beaverton in 1995, starting as general manager of Nike's Guangzhou Liaison Office and subsequently as product creation director, then global operations director.



The LinkedIn profile says he is now Gibson Guitar's general manager for its China division, a position he's held since September 2009.



-- Allan Brettman



