Yet another Anderson's Ark sentence

[Demosthenes]

Plumbing firm owner gets 10 months in tax case

A.J. FLICK
Tucson Citizen

The owner of a Tucson plumbing company was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for submitting false income tax returns in connection with a nationwide scam. U.S. District Court Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson on Thursday sentenced Scott Francis Creasia, 40, to prison after a jury found him guilty in November of filing false returns in 1998 and 1999.

Jorgenson allowed him to be free pending an appeal, but ordered Creasia to start paying the Internal Revenue Service almost $332,000 immediately.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Vasiliadis argued for a stiffer prison sentence of 2.5 years, saying Creasia took an active role in a tax-shelter trust scheme formed by a group called Anderson's Ark and Associates.

Creasia formed "sham partnerships" to conceal his activities, Vasiliadis said. The result of Creasia's actions, Vasiliadis said, was a "gross underpayment of taxes" while Creasia had income of $1 million.

Defense attorney Thomas Fink urged a sentence of probation because of Creasia's "passive role" and "relative culpability" compared to the Anderson's Ark schemers, who were prosecuted in Washington state.

"He's a plumber," Fink said of Creasia, who wore a Plumb Plumbing T-shirt, the name of his company, to his sentencing. "He couldn't create something like this for all the money in the world."

What do you bet, before he was caught, this plumber bragged about how he knew the law better than any lawyer or judge.

[Colonel_Buck]

Isn't there an old joke floating around somewhere about the plumber that used to be a lawyer?

[Lambkin]

Isn't there an old joke floating around somewhere about the plumber that used to be a lawyer?

On coming home from a late night at the office, the partner at a presigious law firm discovered that his basement was flooded. He summoned a plumber. The plumber arrived soon afterward, with a spare set of overalls and a cap that said "Blue Collar Guy".

The lawyer, still dressed in his an expensive suit, silk tie, and gleaming wingtips, chuckled. "I like your hat," he said. "But you're the first plumber I've met who brought a change of clothes to a job." The plumber smiled.

The plumber went down into the basement, and the lawyer heard him working downstairs. Before too long, the plumber came back upstairs. "I'm almost done down there. I'm going to write up your bill, then I'm going to go out to my truck for a tool I need to finish up."

The plumber added, "The overalls and hat you asked me about, they're not for me. I'm looking for a new assistant, and I was hoping you might know somebody who wanted the job." The lawyer responded, with more than a hint of condescension, "I'm a lawyer. Who would I know who would want to work as a plumber?" The plumber shrugged, and handed the lawyer his bill.

A couple of minutes later, when the plumber returned from his truck, found the lawyer, dressed in the hat and overalls. "I had a chance to look over your bill while you were out," the lawyer said. "You found yourself an assistant."

http://www.lawlaughs.com/money/plumbing.html