It’s getting to be that time of the year: Nominations are due for the Tax Offender of the Year. Remember, to be considered for this award the offender must do more than just cheat on his taxes. It has to be special; it really needs to be a Bozo-like action or actions.
Via Joe Kristan comes a clear “winner” of a nominee: Phillip Ballard of Fort Worth, Texas was convicted of attempted murder for hire. Mr. Ballard, who is 72, is looking at 20 years at ClubFed. It’s why Mr. Ballard committed this crime that gets him his nomination:
While awaiting trial for tax evasion, Ballard approached a fellow inmate in September 2012, according to the criminal complaint.
Ballard said he believed U.S. District Judge John McBryde would sentence him to more than 20 years in prison; he wanted the judge killed so the case would be transferred to another judge.
And it only took the jury less than an hour to convict him.
Mr. Ballard’s tax preparation career ended in 2008; he followed the Irwin Schiff method of tax preparation (returns with all zeroes). At least one individual who followed Mr. Ballard’s advice is probably wishing he hadn’t. Richard Tilford was sentenced in 2012 to one year at ClubFed and had to make restitution of over $453,000 to the IRS. Mr. Tilford filed returns noting he had income but zeroed all that income out on his returns. As noted in the DOJ press release,
Each of the tax returns, according to the factual resume, was accompanied by a letter acknowledging that Tilford earned money during the relevant year, but denying that the earnings were income in the “constitutional sense.”
A hint for anyone who wants to try this at home: The only thing it will garner you is a nomination for Tax Offender of the Year. As for Mr. Ballard, he’s yet another worthy nominee for the 2013 Tax Offender of the Year award.
Tags: JoeKristan