Tax scams have likely been around for as long as taxes have been collected. In light of the significant penalties, fines, prison sentences and other consequences that can be imposed for tax non-compliance issues, taxpayers have good reason to be apprehensive or nervous if they are contacted by someone claiming…
Las Vegas criminal defense attorney Paul Wommer, was convicted of tax evasion based on his failure to pay approximately $13,000 of interest and penalties imposed on the principal of his delinquent taxes. In a somewhat novel appeal to the 9th Circuit he argued he hadn’t committed “tax evasion” under Internal…
Individuals using offshore bank accounts to conceal assets and facilitate tax fraud continue to be prosecuted by the Department of Justice. Under the Bank Secrecy Act, citizens and lawful permanent residents (i.e. “Green Card” holders) that have an interest in or signature authority over a financial account in a foreign…
Sometimes understating income is just carelessness. Sometimes its tax fraud or tax evasion. People don’t always realize that tax fraud or tax evasion can lead to time in jail. Convincing judges to sentence defendants to prison for criminal tax evasion continues to be a priority for the Department of Justice…
To avoid prosecution for tax evasion and other alleged crimes, the Swisspartners Investment Network AG, a Swiss-based asset management firm, and three of its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the Swisspartners Group) entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Although many taxpayers have been entering the IRS Offshore…
Congressman Michael Grimm faces a 20-count indictment in federal court for allegedly committing tax fraud, and evading taxes by concealing more than $1million in sales and understating wages. He is charged with five counts of mail fraud, five counts of wire fraud, three counts of aiding and assisting in the…
” Criminal tax cases generally start out in the IRS’ Criminal Investigation (CI) division. It is therefore instructive to look at CI’s annual report that was issued earlier this year for the 2013 fiscal year. To some extent, there were no surprises. International tax evasion and the voluntary disclosure program…
Civil tax problems were the least of Brian Kenny’s worries on Thanksgiving. The California construction company owner, age 40, of San Francisco, pled guilty in November to filing false tax returns for his company, SF Bay Construction, for the 2006 tax year. According to the press release from the Department…
While offshore tax evasion can sometimes be a family affair as well. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara recently announced a prosecution of an offshore tax evasion case involving multiple family members. This case illustrates the dangers involved when an older family member passes on without cleaning up his Report of Foreign…
Tax fraud is not limited to the young. The IRS has once again demonstrated that its pursuit of American citizens who commit tax evasion through the use of offshore bank accounts does not diminish when taxpayers of advanced age are involved. Seventy eight- year-old Peter Troost, of Skokie, Illinois, recently…