Another chiropractor tries the BOE stunt on taxes

[Judge Roy Bean]

http://articles.mcall.com/2011-03-09/ne ... ax-evasion

Husband and wife chiropractors Paul F. Basile and Barbara Basile allegedly used a shell company to hide income from the IRS, filed false tax returns and submitted fictitious financial instruments to cover nearly $2.3 million in taxes dating to 1995, a federal grand jury has charged.
...
In 2004, Paul Basile submitted to the IRS a series of "prepaid foreign bills of exchange," purportedly to settle nearly $2.3 million in taxes the couple owed from 1995 to 2001.

Later that year and in early 2005, Paul Basile wrote 13 checks totaling more than $1.3 million on a closed bank account to settle tax debts for the same years, the indictment says.

This has been going on for over fifteen years.

[Arthur Rubin]

Being from California, I associate "BOE" with the "Board of Equalization", a taxing agency even more aggressive than the IRS.

[webhick]

Being from California, I associate "BOE" with the "Board of Equalization", a taxing agency even more aggressive than the IRS.

Better than the BOA, which is not "Bank of America" as one might assume, but "Board of Assimilation." Resistance is futile, as are all appeals.

[Gregg]

"Bank of America" is "Board of Assimilation, isn't it?

[Judge Roy Bean]

This link used to redirect to BofA:

http://www.bankofsatan.com

It appears someone got that 'fixed'.

[Noah]

Larry Becraft a member of, as Greg has stated, "the all star team of tax stupid", just checked into the game.

http://articles.mcall.com/2011-12-10/ne ... ax-evasion

[LPC]

Federal prosecutors, familiar with that excuse, have asked a judge to bar any testimony about Basile's beliefs and research on the topic of tax law that could confuse a jury.

"He's going to argue that he relied on different things that he read to come to the belief that he didn't have to pay taxes," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Terri Marinari. "That is typical for a person that we call a tax defier."

Lowell H. Becraft Jr., a Huntsville, Ala., lawyer who specializes in defending people who question the government's authority to collect income tax, says Basile should be allowed to testify about his beliefs to show that he didn't intend to cheat on his taxes.

We've been through this before. The Cheek decision says that defendants must be able to present their position that they misunderstood the law. They are not allowed to argue that the misunderstood the Constitution, and they are not allowed to argue that they are right about the law.

[Gregg]

Lowell H. Becraft Jr., a Huntsville, Ala., lawyer who specializes in defending people who question the government's authority to collect income tax, says Basile should be allowed to testify about his beliefs to show that he didn't intend to cheat on his taxes.

When he wrote $1.3 million worth of checks on a closed account.

I dunno about you, but if a check is in the 7 digit range, I usually check that there's money there to cover it, and I guess now I'll start checking that the account is still open.

[The Observer]

And said chiropracter and spouse get their comeuppance:

Paul F. Basile, 55, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison; Barbara Basile, 54, was ordered to serve 63 months behind bars, officials said.

U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond also ordered the couple to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $1,417,916.

The evidence also showed that, between October 18, 2004 and January 4, 2005, Paul Basile defrauded the IRS by issuing checks totaling $1,351,380 from a closed bank to cover tax liabilities he and his wife owed for tax years 1995 through 2001. Around the same time, officials said he submitted a series of fictitious documents titled, "Prepaid Foreign Bills of Exchange," also as purported payment of his and his wife’s income tax liabilities.