A Sterling physician has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making a false statement in connection with a Justice Department investigation into a hidden Swiss bank account.

Andrew B. Silva faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. He is free on bail, pending sentencing May 7.

The Justice Department accuses Silva of mailing more than $200,000 in U.S. currency from Switzerland to his Sterling home in 26 separately sent packages in late 2009. He had inherited the undeclared bank account from his mother in 1997, the Justice Department says court documents show.

The Justice Department did not identify the bank, but said it was headquartered in England, with offices in Zurich, Geneva and the Virginia.

According to court documents, Silva admitted that on Nov. 23, 2009, he made false statements to a U.S. Customs inspector at Dulles International Airport about why he had traveled to Switzerland, and falsely stated he had not recently mailed U.S. currency from Switzerland to the United States.

He is also accused of failing to report the foreign bank account or interest it earned on his IRS tax returns between 1997 and 2008 and failing to report his interest in an undeclared foreign bank account to the U.S. Department of Treasury.

As part of his plea agreement, Silva agreed to forfeit to the government $211,200 seized from his home.

The case was also investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, The U.S. Postal Service and the IRS.