A federal judge made it clear on Thursday that tax evasion will not be tolerated when he ordered a Huntsville man to pay $3.7 million in restitution as part of his sentence. Paul Bracy, 71, was charged with one count of tax evasion and was sentenced to five years’ probation, […]
Category: Tax Crimes
When someone is convicted of a criminal tax offense, judges have many factors to weigh that can bear on sentencing. To be sure, federal sentencing guidelines provide a prescribed range. And both the prosecution and the defense can recommend a specific sentence. But it is up to the judge to […]
Criminal tax charges against a business owner can severely impact both the person who is charged and the business itself. A recent Texas case provides an example of the potentially double-sided consequences. The case concerns the owner of several popular nightclubs in Austin. In January of this year, the nightclub […]
Last week we wrote about the many responsibilities that federal and state tax codes place on business owners. From payroll taxes to estimated taxes to the intricacies of the Affordable Care Act, there are a host of ways that tax issues impact businesses and their owners. Sometimes, of course, business […]
In yet another story that seems like something straight out of a James Bond movie, a Vatican accountant, a former Italian spy, and a financial broker have been arrested and charged with tax evasion and possibly money laundering. A complex scheme involved the former Italian spy moving over $26 million […]
The IRS handles millions of tax returns that have nothing to do criminal tax charges. How does the agency decide, then, which cases to refer for criminal tax fraud prosecution? The answer affects many taxpayers in Texas and across the nation. After all, a criminal investigation raises the ante immeasurably […]
Not exactly, but under certain circumstances you might! Online role playing games, made famous by games such as World of Warcraft (WoW), are a great example of the growing trend of virtual economies and virtual currencies. The relationship between the virtual economies and the actual economy and what is taxable […]
Is the IRS reading your e-mail? The IRS says it is not. Yesterday the acting commissioner of the IRS denied allegations that his agency gains access to taxpayers’ e-mail messages without obtaining search warrants. In Texas and throughout the nation, taxpayers are naturally concerned about the IRS gaining too much […]
In basketball, it’s difficult for virtually any player when the other team puts two defenders on them. Even stars like the Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki find such match-ups challenging and need help from teammates. Now let’s apply this analogy to tax law. If the U.S. government suspects you of tax […]
As tax season gets underway, concerns about possible delays in tax refunds remain. One reasons for this is the late date of the fiscal-cliff deal, which caused the IRS to delay until last week the date when it will begin processing tax returns. But the concerns about refund delays go […]