The term “tax shelter” is sometimes used pejoratively to refer to improper attempts to avoid tax. Such statements fail to make the crucial distinction between tax avoidance, on the one hand, and tax evasion on the other. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal. After all, few people want to pay more […]
Category: Tax Crimes
It isn’t only tax fraud that can result in criminal tax charges. Failure to file an income tax return at all can do so as well. From time to time, the defendants in such cases are high-profile people. A recent example is the actor Wesley Snipes, star of “White Men […]
On a national scale, the numbers on suspected tax fraud get a bit mind-boggling. Last year, the IRS said it identified about two million such cases. Is criminal tax fraud really that common? Or does the IRS use fraud detection systems that are overly sensitive? The high number of cases […]
The reasons why paying taxes can get difficult vary with each person. Such struggles can happen to anyone, and being rich or famous is no guard against them. A recent case in point is the tax troubles of the Grammy-award-winning singer Lauryn Hill. Last week, federal prosecutors charged her with […]
Words matter. In human terms, it’s as simple as that. There is a very real and clear difference between tax evasion, on the one hand, and perfectly legal tax avoidance on the other. The confusion between the terms can be cleared up with proper definitions. Tax evasion is an improper […]
As many people in Texas know, paying taxes can be confusing, especially as more and more people try to save money by doing their own taxes. There is plenty of room for errors. However, the IRS is not usually sympathetic to people they suspect of committing tax fraud. In a […]
A San Antonio executive who was accused with others of illegally collecting payroll taxes and worker’s compensation fees agreed to a plea deal earlier this month. The 49-year-old has pleaded guilty to mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges; and in exchange, 27 counts of a 29-count indictment will be […]
Being convicted of criminal tax violations is no joke. These types of convictions can lead to serious jail time as well as heavy fines. Such was the case when a federal jury in Texas convicted a Delaware woman of cheating the government out of more than $3 million over a […]
A Big Sandy, Texas, husband and wife were given lengthy prison sentences recently after being found guilty of illegally claiming exemptions from federal income taxes. Sentencing for the husband and wife took place on Sept. 30. They were charged with numerous tax crimes, including conspiracy to attempt to evade federal […]
Claims of tax fraud have serious consequences for Texas citizens and the mere allegation that an individual tried to deceive the state or federal government can change the path of a person’s life. The criminal tax matters will often be publicized and the person accused will have to deal with […]