Category Archives: Tax Fraud

“Ripping Off Your Refunds” In the Miami Herald

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Russ

There is an excellent article in the Miami Herald on the identity theft tax fraud crisis. The epicenter of this is South Florida (as noted in the article). I don’t have much to add to the frustrations of victims with … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Tax Fraud | Tagged | 1 Comment

Solely a Way to Go to ClubFed

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Russ

Until I became a tax professional I had never heard of a “Corporation Sole.” It’s a legal entity consisting of a single incorporated office, occupied by a single person. It’s a corporate structure used mainly for religions organizations so that … Continue reading →

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Old Fashioned Theft Leads to New Fashioned Identity Theft

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Russ

A case out of my old home town of Visalia, California lets us know that sometimes there’s just not much you can do to prevent yourself from being a victim of identity theft. Back in 2011 Rebekah Root either stole … Continue reading →

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Former Mayor (and Current CPA) Learns of Tax Fraud, Joins the Conspiracy

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Russ

This is for the don’t do this at home file for tax professionals. Kenneth Harycki is the former mayor of Stillwater, Minnesota. He’s also a licensed CPA in Minnesota (but probably not for much longer). Mr. Harycki will provide an … Continue reading →

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FTC Sponsors Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Russ

Coincidentally (see the previous post), yesterday I received an email from Lisa Lake, Director of Consumer & Business Education of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). She was highlighting the FTC’s Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week. Happily, this is not a … Continue reading →

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Tax Fraud on the Wholesale

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Russ

Out of New York City comes allegations of wholesale tax fraud. Seven individuals were arrested on Thursday and charged with conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Some of the defendants were charged … Continue reading →

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Would the Proprietors of “I Married an Idiot” Commit Tax Fraud?

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Russ

Sometimes you can’t make this stuff up. Perhaps you missed the website imarriedanidiot.com. The website is down, but thanks to the Internet Archive it will continue to be accessible. I’ll leave it to the reader to peruse the web site. … Continue reading →

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From Owning a Party Mansion to Partying at ClubFed

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Russ

Claude Verbal II wasn’t the most well liked owner of a home in North Raleigh, North Carolina. It seems that the 15,000 square foot mansion wasn’t used as a home; rather, it was a place to PARTY! To be fair, … Continue reading →

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It Never Works, But They Keep Doing It

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Russ

“It amazes me that people who withhold payroll taxes and don’t remit them to the IRS can get away with it.” That’s what my friend, Scott Harker, EA, said to me this morning. Yet time and again I read stories … Continue reading →

Posted in Payroll Taxes, Tax Fraud | 1 Comment

This Won’t Help Confidence in the IRS

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Russ

From South Florida comes a story of one IRS employee who allegedly liked to help taxpayers…just in the wrong way. Charles Corbitt worked for the IRS in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was charged with wire fraud today and is … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS, Tax Fraud | 1 Comment