Daniel Benham convicted in Michigan - Promoter

[Joey Smith]

Daniel Benham convicted:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi- ... 3820.story

[Demosthenes]

The paper got it wrong. DANIEL DOYLE BENHAM© was convicted, not Daniel Benham.

Sample Benham sig on an article he posted online:

Copyright Notice: All rights reserved re: common-law copyright of trade-name/trade-mark, DANIEL DOYLE BENHAM©-as well as any and all derivatives and variations in the spelling of said trade-name/trade-mark-Copyright© 1988 by Daniel Doyle Benham.

Record Owner: Daniel Doyle Benham, Autograph Common Law Copyright© 1988.

[Judge Roy Bean]

Wasn't he into the "corporation sole" business?

[Demosthenes]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2006
http://WWW.USDOJ.GOV
TAX
(202) 514-2007
TDD (202) 514-1888

COURT BARS MICHIGAN MAN FROM PROMOTING TAX FRAUD SCHEMES

Twin Lake Man Sold “Corporation Sole” and “Strategic Withdrawal” Schemes

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A federal court in Grand Rapids, Mich., has permanently barred Daniel Doyle Benham of Twin Lake, Mich., from selling “corporation sole” and “strategic withdrawal” tax schemes, the Justice Department announced today. Judge Gordon J. Quist of the Western District of Michigan signed the civil injunction order, to which Benham agreed without admitting wrongdoing.

According to the government’s complaint, Benham is alleged to have falsely advised customers that they could withdraw from the federal tax system by declaring bankruptcy, purportedly revoking their Social Security Numbers, surrendering licenses and permits, and transferring their assets to a so-called “corporation sole.” The complaint further alleged that Benham offered products and services related to his schemes for amounts ranging from $200 to $5,000. His customers underpaid their federal taxes by more than $2 million, according to an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimate contained in the complaint.

Some states authorize religious leaders to hold property and conduct their activities in what is known as a corporation sole, but tax benefits are available only for organizations that qualify as religious or charitable organizations under the Internal Revenue Code. The complaint alleged that Benham falsely told customers they could treat their corporations sole as a “church” with no tax return filing requirement, and yet control and use its assets and income for their personal benefit.

The court’s order requires Benham to provide copies of the injunction to his customers and to give the government a list of customers’ names, addresses, phone numbers, and Social Security Numbers.

Corporation sole tax scams are included in IRS’s annual list of the “Dirty Dozen” tax scams http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,, ... 37,00.html The Justice Department has obtained permanent injunctions against a number of people who sell corporation-sole scams. Examples are found at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/txdv06587.htm, http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/txdv05657 and http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/txdv05030.htm.

Since 2001 the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained more than 210 injunctions to stop the promotion of tax fraud schemes.

[Demosthenes]

Michigan man gets 6 years for tax evasion, fraud
2/5/2009, 2:13 p.m. EST
The Associated Press

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A Muskegon-area man who gave seminars on how to avoid paying taxes has been sentenced to six years in federal prison on four counts of tax evasion and a bankruptcy-fraud charge.

Daniel Benham of Twin Lake was sentenced Wednesday in a federal courtroom in Grand Rapids.

He was convicted in October after failing to file tax returns for more than $450,000 in gross income from 2000 to 2003.

Benham's tax and bankruptcy seminars purported to explain how to avoid paying taxes by creating legal entities to shelter income.

He was sentenced to five years in prison on the tax-evasion charges and another year on the fraud count.

A phone message seeking comment was left Thursday for his lawyer, John Karafa.

[Doktor Avalanche]

The paper got it wrong. DANIEL DOYLE BENHAM© was convicted, not Daniel Benham.

It's going to be a long year.