Author Archives: Russ

Another $0.02 For Your Thoughts

Posted on March 20, 2007 by Russ

If you use the postal service, it will cost you $0.41 for first class mail beginning on May 14th. The good news? You will be able to buy a “forever” stamp. The new “forever” stamp will be able to used … Continue reading →

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Whither State Tax Revenues?

Posted on March 18, 2007 by Russ

A very interesting article from Reuters on the possibility of a decline in state tax revenues. Reuters speculates on (1) lower capital gains revenues, in states such as California, and (2) declining real estate values, in other coastal states (such … Continue reading →

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Clear as Mud

Posted on March 18, 2007 by Russ

If I told you that there was a trial attracting a media circus in Chicago, you might wonder about my intelligence. Except for stories in the two daily Chicago newspapers (the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times), this trial might … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois, Tax Fraud | Tagged | 1 Comment

$6.8 Million and 10 Years

Posted on March 15, 2007 by Russ

Back in November I wrote about the Ozbay family of Schenectady, New York. They didn’t commit one piece of tax fraud. No, they committed lots of tax fraud. They didn’t pay income tax, they structured their transactions, and they didn’t … Continue reading →

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Plenty of Fraud to Pass Around the Table

Posted on March 12, 2007 by Russ

Well, it’s time for an uber-post. We’ve got plenty of fraud to share, with two practitioners in trouble, an IRS agent, what should be a circus of a trial, and a pilot that may be grounded. First up comes one … Continue reading →

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Hatch Heads Back to Court

Posted on March 12, 2007 by Russ

Survivor winner, but court loser, Richard Hatch had his appeal heard in Boston last Thursday. Hatch, convicted on multiple counts of tax evasion, is now serving his four-plus year prison term. Hatch is arguing that he should have been able … Continue reading →

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Wal-Mart Fails the Pesticide Tax

Posted on March 9, 2007 by Russ

California has a lot of taxes. One of the taxes that most individuals are not aware of is the pesticide tax. As the DPR notes, “California assesses a fee on all pesticide sales, levied at the point of first sale … Continue reading →

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Complaining Will Get You Trouble…When You’re Guilty

Posted on March 6, 2007 by Russ

Last year I wrote about David Richardson of nearby Huntington Beach. Mr. Richardson was indicted on five counts of tax fraud (filing false claims), after filing multiple phony refund claims. But what made Mr. Richardson special was what he did … Continue reading →

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In The News…

Posted on March 6, 2007 by Russ

CCH’s Federal Tax Weekly has an article on the Tschetschot case. My comments are included in the article. There were two major surprises in the decision: – The IRS conceded that Mrs. Tschetschot was a professional gambler even though she … Continue reading →

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The FTB Does Something Smart

Posted on March 5, 2007 by Russ

I’ve criticized California’s Franchise Tax Board on several occasions. However, I am going to praise them when they deserve it, and this is one of those times. The FTB, in the past, has assessed late payment penalties when payments on … Continue reading →

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