Tax Problem Attorney Blog

Brager Tax Law Group Obtains over 6,500 Pages in Freedom of Information Act Request for Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program Documents

November 18, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

Several months ago the Brager Tax Law Group requested IRS documents through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which was filed on behalf of the TaxProblemAttorney Blog.com. The Brager Tax Law Group received a CD in response to this FOIA request. Out of the 7,092 responsive pages, the IRS sent over 6,500 pages and withheld the rest. This information was published on the Brager Tax Law Group website in November. The requested documents included material used in training IRS personnel in the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP), determining Program penalties and instructing IRS employees on the Program. The purpose of the OVDP program is for individuals who have failed to file an FBAR (Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Report) form with the IRS, or didn’t report income from offshore activities to disclose their errors and to avoid criminal tax prosecution. The OVDP’s current penalty is 27.5 percent, but there are other alternatives available to certain taxpayers which may provide additional relief.

The OVDP is a complex program with countless rules; at times these rules may be conflicting. What complicates these OVDP rules are the “technical advisors” who review decisions that are made by individual revenue agents. Instead of being approved by the courts, these decisions are approved by these unknown advisors. The IRS does not disclose the identities of these technical advisors, which then doesn’t allow tax attorneys and their clients to communicate with these advisors directly. This material may shed some light on how decisions are being made.

The Brager Tax Law Group submitted a FOIA request in April and received the files about six months later. These files were stored on a password protective CD. These thousands of pages can be found on the Brager website on the offshore bank account problems page.

New FAQs For Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) Released by IRS

October 16, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

Our tax lawyers have reviewed the IRS’ newly issued FAQs for its Delinquent International Information Return Submission Procedures, the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures for U.S. Taxpayers Residing in the United States (SDOP), and the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures for U.S. Taxpayers Residing Outside the United States (SFOP). These programs are first cousins of the IRS’ Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP), but technically are not part of OVDP, and are options for individuals who have failed to report income from offshore bank accounts, and who may have failed to file a Foreign Bank Account Reports, FinCEN Form 114, formerly TDF 90-22.1 (FBAR) or other international information reporting returns.

Perhaps the most disturbing FAQ is the one issued for the Delinquent International Information Return Submission Procedures. The procedures replace former OVDP FAQ 18, and became effective July 1, 2014. Under old FAQ 18, if a taxpayer failed to file an information reporting form, but had reported all taxable income, and paid all the tax the IRS would not impose a penalty. Under the new Delinquent International Information Return Submission Procedures however, even if all income has been reported, and taxes paid, the taxpayer must submit a “reasonable cause statement” with each delinquent information return. Before the issuance of the new FAQ, many tax attorneys believed (hoped?) that if a taxpayer met the requirements of old FAQ 18 that no penalty will be imposed without regard to whether there was reasonable cause.

The FAQ makes clear that if the IRS does not accept the reasonable cause statement then penalties will be imposed. The FAQ states that the reasonable cause determination will be based upon longstanding authorities, and cites to Treas. Reg. § 1.6038-2(k)(3), Treas. Reg. § 1.6038A-4(b), and Treas. Reg. § 301.6679-1(a)(3). The FAQ suggests that a statement of facts made under penalties of perjury should be included with the late filed returns.

Florida Doctor Sentenced in Criminal Tax Case for Concealing Assets and Filing False Individual Income Tax Returns

September 16, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

Individuals using offshore bank accounts to conceal assets and facilitate tax fraud continue to be prosecuted by the Department of Justice. Under the Bank Secrecy Act, citizens and lawful permanent residents (i.e. “Green Card” holders) that have an interest in or signature authority over a financial account in a foreign country with assets in excess of $10,000 at any time during the year are required to disclose the accounts on their individual income tax returns, both on Schedule B, and if the accounts are large enough on Form 8938. They must also file a FBAR (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) on FINCen Form 114 disclosing any financial account in a foreign country with assets in excess of $10,000. Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough was recently convicted of conspiracy to defraud the IRS by keeping money in offshore bank accounts and filing false individual income tax returns that failed to report the income received by her on the foreign bank accounts. Hough was sentenced to 24 months in jail and ordered to pay over $15 million in restitution in addition to paying over $40,000 in prosecution costs.

Hough, a United States resident and the owner of 2 medical schools in the Caribbean, created nominee entities and used undeclared foreign bank accounts to conceal assets from the IRS. Upon selling the medical schools for over $35 million, the entire proceeds from the sale were deposited into undeclared accounts in the names of the nominee entities. The majority of the sale proceeds were not reported on her tax returns. The unpaid taxes totaled over $15 million. In addition to the proceeds received from the sale of the medical schools, Hough also failed to report a large amount of interest and investment income and failed to report that she had an interest in bank securities or other financial accounts located in foreign countries.

The money in the accounts, though, didn’t go untouched. Through evidence including e-mails, telephone calls and in-person meetings, the IRS was able to establish that Hough and her husband had asset managers that made investments and transferred funds from the offshore accounts in the names of the entities and medical schools to offshore accounts in their own names. The funds were later used to fund what the Justice Department referred to as “their lavish lifestyle.”

Business Owners Get Jail Time for Tax Evasion

September 3, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

Sometimes understating income is just carelessness. Sometimes its tax fraud or tax evasion. People don’t always realize that tax fraud or tax evasion can lead to time in jail.

Convincing judges to sentence defendants to prison for criminal tax evasion continues to be a priority for the Department of Justice where taxpayers have willfully underreported their income or made false statements to the IRS revenue agents regarding their tax liabilities, as shown by unrelated decisions handed down against Abdelhamid M. Horany and Robert C. Sathre.

Horany, a business owner, admitted to underreporting his income by approximately $175,000, which resulted in his underreporting his tax due and owing by over $60,000 in 2007 alone. In total, Horany underreported his tax due by more than $145,000; he was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his actions. Sometimes taxpayers try to convince themselves that the IRS won’t go after them because they are “minnows.” This case is a warning that it is not necessary to evade millions of dollars in taxes in order to be prosecuted for tax evasion.

Expect Increased Assessment and Collection of Trust Fund Recovery Penalties

August 22, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

Enforcement of The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP) is a source of potential government revenue that, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), needs to be revamped to become more efficient. Under existing law, employers are required to withhold from their employees’ salaries amounts to cover Federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes. These are referred to as “trust fund taxes.” When the employer fails to pay these taxes, the IRS can collect them from “responsible persons,” who have willfully failed to pay them. In determining who is a responsible person, the critical test is whether the person has the effective power to pay the taxes owed.

As the taxes get older, the possibility of collection by the IRS continues to decrease. As of June 2012, employers owed the United States government approximately $14.1 billion in delinquent employment taxes. That’s one big employment tax problem! In their study of 265 statistically valid cases, TIGTA found that TFRP actions were not always timely or adequate in 99 cases. Sixty-five cases had untimely TFRP actions, twenty cases had TFRPs that could not be assessed because assessment statutes had expired, ten did not have adequate support for collectability determinations when the TFRP was not assessed, and nine cases with incomplete TFRP investigations were closed with an installment agreement or considered “currently not collectible” before determining whether a TFRP should be assessed.

TIGTA set forth a list of recommendations for the IRS with respect to the TFRP, which were all accepted and agreed to be implemented in the coming year. Many of the suggestions emphasized the responsibility of the group managers; for example, one recommendation was to emphasize to managers their responsibility to use the Automated Trust Fund Recovery System (ATFR) monthly and to increase the level of training offered.

Big Changes to IRS Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) for FBAR Non-Filers

June 19, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

Massive change is coming to the IRS

Swisspartners Group Entered Into NPA to Avoid Criminal Tax Prosecution But Must Pay $4.4 Million in Forfeiture and Restitution for Assisting U.S. Tax Evasion

June 13, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

To avoid prosecution for tax evasion and other alleged crimes, the Swisspartners Investment Network AG, a Swiss-based asset management firm, and three of its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the Swisspartners Group) entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Although many taxpayers have been entering the IRS Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP), for some taxpayers it is now too late as the Swisspartners Group has already disclosed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office the names of 110 U.S. taxpayers who may have failed to file Foreign Bank Account Reports (FBARs) and/or been engaged in tax fraud.

Although the Swisspartners Group avoided criminal prosecution for assisting U.S. taxpayers in opening and maintaining undeclared foreign bank accounts from about 2001 to 2011, it couldn’t avoid paying large sums of money for its wrongdoing. Swisspartners Group agreed to pay $4.4 million in forfeiture and restitution. Of the $4.4 million, $3.5 million represents fees that Swisspartners Group earned by assisting U.S. taxpayers in opening and maintaining undeclared accounts, and $900,000 represents the approximate amount of unpaid taxes arising from the Swisspartners Group involvement in tax evasion.

There are several factors that led to the NPA between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Swisspartners Group: (1) beginning around May 2008, the Swisspartners Group voluntarily implemented remedial measures against offshore tax evasion; (2) without any pressure from the U.S. authorities or obligation under a criminal investigation or prosecution, the Swisspartners Group reported criminal conduct by its clients; (3) the Swisspartners Group produced 110 account files that identified U.S. taxpayers who evaded taxes; (4) the Swisspartners Group’s willingness and ongoing cooperation with the U.S. authorities to combat tax evasion; and (5) the Swisspartners Group, when investigated by outside counsel, made true representations of the misconduct that was under investigation.

The Swisspartners Group admitted, as part of the NPA, that it knew certain U.S. taxpayers maintained undeclared foreign bank accounts with the intent to evade U.S. taxes. Swisspartners Group also admitted that it helped certain U.S. taxpayers conceal beneficial ownership of undeclared assets from the IRS by, among other things: (1) creating sham foundations or other sham entities that operated as the nominal account holders; (2) using non-U.S. nationals on accounts or insurance policies; (3) facilitating the transportation of large amounts of cash into the U.S. for the benefit of U.S. taxpayers; and (4) arranging large cash deposits in Swiss financial institutions for the benefit of U.S. taxpayers.

Under the NPA, the Swisspartners Group must continue to cooperate with the U.S. tax authorities for at least three years from the date of the agreement; otherwise, the U.S. Attorney’s Office may prosecute the Swisspartners Group.

Grim Outlook for Congressman Michael Grimm after 20-Count Indictment Alleging Tax Fraud

May 22, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

Congressman Michael Grimm faces a 20-count indictment in federal court for allegedly committing tax fraud, and evading taxes by concealing more than $1million in sales and understating wages. He is charged with five counts of mail fraud, five counts of wire fraud, three counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false federal tax returns, one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, one count of impeding the IRS, one count of health care fraud, one count of engaging in a pattern or practice of hiring and continuing to employ unauthorized aliens, two counts of perjury, and one count of obstructing an official proceeding.

If convicted, Grimm faces up to 20 years for each mail and wire fraud charge and for the obstruction charge, up to 10 years of imprisonment for the health care fraud charge, and up to five years of imprisonment for the charge of conspiring to defraud the U.S. and for each perjury charge. Furthermore, he faces a term of imprisonment of up to three years for each charge of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns and for the charge of obstructing and impeding the due administration of the tax laws. Finally, he faces up to six months of imprisonment for engaging in a pattern or practice of hiring and continuing to employ unauthorized aliens, as well as forfeiture, restitution, and fines.

It is ironic that Congressman Grimm would be involved in such actions given that as a former FBI agent he was investigating fraud. The former Marine, FBI agent, accountant, attorney, and small business owner might now be able to add tax evasion and fraud to his otherwise impressive and distinguished resume.

Offshore Bahamian Vacation Comes To An End

May 13, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

An alleged tax fraud scheme by Victor Lipukhin, the former president of a large Russian steel company resulted in a recent grand jury indictment. According to court papers, he hid between $4 million and $7.5 million dollars in Swiss bank accounts at UBS from 2002 through 2007. If convicted, he faces a potential maximum sentence of three years imprisonment on each count. Presumably, Lipukhin’s name was one of the more than 4,000 names that were turned over to the IRS several years ago in response to a John Doe summons served on UBS. In 2013, the IRS used similar tactics to obtain names of customers of Wegelin & Co., Switzerland’s oldest bank.

Lipukhin, a Russian national, became a lawful permanent U.S. resident in 2002. He served as the president of Severstal, Inc. (USA), which is a subsidiary of AO Severstal, the largest steel producer in Russia. Allegedly, he used shell companies based in the Bahamas to conduct transactions in his offshore accounts. He was later able to bring funds to the U.S. to purchase real estate, pay for personal expenses, and to withdraw cash for personal use.

In 2002, he and another individual, opened a UBS bank account, in the name of sham Bahamian entities (Old Orchard and Lone Star) transferring over $47 million from previous UBS accounts. In 2003, Lipukhin became the sole owner and signatory on the account. He was able to control all transactions in the accounts with the help of a Bahamian national, who served as the nominee director. He also used the services of a Canadian attorney to create fictitious mortgages, through an entity called Dapaul Management, to conceal his purchases of real estate in the U.S. with the funds from the offshore accounts. In addition, he had the Canadian attorney transfer funds to a domestic entity, Charlestal, LLC, to purchase real estate in the U.S., which included a historic building in Illinois for $900,000. He also used the domestic entity to withdraw cash for personal use and to pay for his personal expenses.

Bank of Israel Orders FACTA Implementation

April 24, 2014 | by Dennis N. Brager

To help prevent tax evasion through the use of offshore accounts, the U.S. Treasury Department, enacted regulations under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), that go into effect July 1, 2014. At the end of March, the Bank of Israel released draft guidance for Israeli banks to prepare for the implementation of FATCA, whether or not an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) is signed before July 1, 2014. The Israeli supervisor of banks, David Zaken, announced that he is ordering Israeli banks to prepare for the implementation of FACTA even though the agreement between Israel and the U.S. has not yet been signed.

Under FATCA, every foreign financial institution (FFI) must notify the IRS about its U.S. customers. This means that banks around the world, including Israel banks, must report to the IRS the existence of “foreign” bank accounts belonging to U.S. citizens, as well as accounts belonging to Israelis on which U.S persons have signatory authority. The IGA when signed will supersede the U.S. government’s demand that the Israeli banks report directly to the U.S. authorities. Instead, the banks will send the information about U.S. customers to the Israel Tax Authority, which in turn will send it to the IRS. Israeli banks were given instructions on:

1) Corporate governance processes (appointing a person responsible for the issue, appointing a work team, establishing policies and procedures, reports to the management and to the board of directors).