March 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) Though tax fraud schemes are common, the indictment of 55 people in a single case is not. In early October 2011, a federal grand jury indicted 55 business owners and customers of two southern California businesses, as well as the attorneys, tax preparers and other professionals working with them, in one of the largest tax fraud cases ever seen.
Through two companies, Old Quest Foundation and De la Fuente and Ramirez and Associates, the defendants are accused of fraud against the government, seeking around $270 million in fraudulent tax returns. De la Fuente and Ramirez allegedly made a false claim of $80 million in withheld taxes, asking for more than $19 million in tax refunds. Old Quest's tax forms reported more than $1 billion in withheld income tax and asked for over $250 million in refunds.
The companies held seminars at which speakers claiming to be attorneys, accountants and former IRS agents told participants the U.S. was bankrupt and owned by Britain. Speakers claimed that tax refunds were available through secret government accounts. Participants could sign up with Old Quest for access to these secret accounts for a mere $10,000 and a portion of the fraudulently obtained returns. De la Fluente customers were charged a discount rate of only $2,500.
Stiff Penalties
Most of the 55 defendants in what the government dubbed "Operation Stolen Treasures" are charged with conspiracy and/or making false claims against the United States. A conviction for conspiracy to defraud the United States carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. A five-year statutory maximum sentence for each false claim follows a conviction for false, fictitious or fraudulent claims against the United States.
When tied to a company, tax fraud and conspiracy are considered white collar crimes. Prosecutors frequently charge these crimes as felonies. Individuals facing these types of charges will need the experience of Riverside white collar crime attorneys to build their defense.
The federal government takes false claims and tax fraud extremely seriously. If you or a loved one has been charged with such an offense, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to discuss your situation, your options and your rights.
55 individuals were recently indicted for tax fraud in California. The federal government takes these charges very seriously. The individuals face many years in prison if convicted.
Article provided by Greenberg and Greenberg A Professional Law Corporation
Visit us at www.danielgreenberglaw.com
55 People Indicted in California-Based Federal Tax Fraud Scheme
55 individuals were recently indicted for tax fraud in California. The federal government takes these charges very seriously. The individuals face many years in prison if convicted.
2012-03-01
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Nanofiber breakthrough holds promise for medicine and microprocessors
2012-03-01
NEW YORK, February 29, 2012 – A new method for creating nanofibers made of proteins, developed by researchers at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), promises to greatly improve drug delivery methods for the treatment of cancers, heart disorders and Alzheimer's disease, as well as aid in the regeneration of human tissue, bone and cartilage.
In addition, applied differently, this same development could point the way to even tinier and more powerful microprocessors for future generations of computers and consumer electronics devices.
The details are ...
In what ways does lead damage the brain?
2012-03-01
NEW YORK (Feb. 29, 2012)—Exposure to lead wreaks havoc in the brain, with consequences that include lower IQ and reduced potential for learning. But the precise mechanism by which lead alters nerve cells in the brain has largely remained unknown.
New research led by Tomás R. Guilarte, PhD, Leon Hess Professor and Chair of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, and post-doctoral research scientist Kirstie H. Stansfield, PhD, used high-powered fluorescent microscopy and other advanced techniques to painstakingly chart the varied ...
Winning makes people more aggressive toward the defeated
2012-03-01
COLUMBUS, Ohio – In this world, there are winners and losers – and, for your own safety, it is best to fear the winners.
A new study found that winners – those who outperformed others on a competitive task – acted more aggressively against the people they beat than the losers did against the victors.
"It seems that people have a tendency to stomp down on those they have defeated, to really rub it in," said Brad Bushman, co-author of the study and professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University.
"Losers, on the other hand, don't really act any more ...
Teaching Hospitals Have Higher Risk of Complications
2012-03-01
According to Medicare's first public evaluation of hospitals' records on patient safety, patients are at a heightened risk for preventable conditions when going to teaching hospitals in America.
The Medicare program found that Washington Hospital Center, Georgetown University Hospital, and the Cleveland Clinic were some of the institutions having more complications than average, according to an article from The Washington Post.
The Medicare reimbursement to the hospitals are based on a number of things, some including readmission rates, how patients rate their stays, ...
New light shed on cause of lung injury in severe flu
2012-03-01
While some scientists report engineering a super virulent strain of the H5N1 influenza virus, which could potentially wipe out a significant percentage of the human population, another group of researchers from the United Kingdom now reports a discovery that may one day help mitigate the deadly effects of all flu strains. This report, appearing in the March 2012 print issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, describes findings that may help prevent deaths from severe flu outbreaks, especially from seemingly healthy young people. Specifically, the researchers found that ...
Oldest fossilized forest revealed
2012-03-01
An international team, including a Cardiff University researcher, who previously found evidence of the Earth's earliest tree, has gone one step further.
The research team has now unearthed and investigated an entire fossil forest dating back 385 million years.
The Gilboa fossil forest, in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York, is generally referred to as 'the oldest fossil forest'. Yet by scientific standards it has remained mythical.
Fossils of hundreds of large tree stumps (the 'Gilboa tree') preserved in the rocks were discovered in the 1920's during excavation ...
Maximize Wealth Retention Under Temporary Tax Laws in Effect for 2012
2012-03-01
As the old adage goes, nothing in this world is certain but death and taxes. Unfortunately, in recent times this saying is more pertinent than ever, as there is now a direct and immediate link between taxes and the end of life.
Known derisively by some as the death tax, the federal estate tax (along with its cousins, the generation-skipping tax and the gift tax) can take a substantial bite out of intergenerational wealth. However, a tax relief package in effect until the end of 2012 can help you and your estate planning attorney develop an effective strategy to limit ...
Researcher tracks agricultural overuse of bug-killing technology
2012-03-01
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — High corn prices are leading many growers to plant corn every year and to overuse pesticides and other bug-killing technology to maximize yields, researchers report. In many instances, pesticides are applied without scouting fields to see if they are needed, violating a bedrock principle of integrated pest management. The result is a biological diversity desert in many corn and soybean fields in the agricultural Midwest, and signs that the surviving insects are becoming resistant to several key bug-fighting tools now available to farmers.
University ...
2 genes do not make a voter
2012-03-01
DURHAM, N.C. -- Voting behavior cannot be predicted by one or two genes as previous researchers have claimed, according to Evan Charney, a Duke University professor of public policy and political science.
In "Candidate Genes and Political Behavior," a paper published in the February 2012 American Political Science Review, Charney and co-author William English of Harvard University call into question the validity of all studies that claim that a common gene variant can predict complex behaviors such as voting.
They use as an example a 2008 study by James H. Fowler and ...
New hybrid 'NOSH aspirin' as possible anti-cancer drug
2012-03-01
Scientists have combined two new "designer" forms of aspirin into a hybrid substance that appears more effective than either of its forebears in controlling the growth of several forms of cancer in laboratory tests. Their report on the new NOSH-aspirin, so named because it releases nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), appears in the journal ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
Khosrow Kashfi, Ravinder Kodela and Mitali Chattopadhyay point out that NO and H2S are signaling substances produced in the body that relax blood vessels, reduce inflammation and have a variety ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
This fossil bird choked to death on rocks, and no one knows why
An iron-on electronic circuit to create wearable tech
When you’re happy, your dog might look sad
Subnational income inequality revealed: Regional successes may hold key to addressing widening gap globally
Protein puppeteer pulls muscle stem cells’ strings
Study: A genetic variant may be the reason why some children with myocarditis develop heart failure, which could be fatal
Social justice should not be tokenistic but at the heart of global restoration efforts
A new kind of copper from the research reactor
Making simulations more accurate than ever with deep learning
Better predicting the lifespan of clean energy equipment, towards a more efficient design
Five ways microplastics may harm your brain
Antibody halts triple-negative breast cancer in preclinical models
Planned birth at term reduces pre-eclampsia in those at high risk
Penguins starved to death en masse, study warns, as some populations off South Africa estimated to have fallen 95% in just eight years
New research explains how our brains store and change memories
Space shuttle lessons: Backtracks can create breakthroughs
New study finds cystic fibrosis drug allows patients to safely scale back lung therapies
From field to lab: Rice study reveals how people with vision loss judge approaching vehicles
Study highlights underrecognized link between kidney disease and cognitive decline
Researchers find link between psychosocial stress and early signs of heart inflammation in women
Research spotlight: How long-acting injectable treatment could transform care for postpartum women with HIV
Preempting a flesh-eating fly’s return to California
Software platform helps users find the best hearing protection
Clean hydrogen breakthrough: Chemical lopping technology with Dr. Muhammad Aziz (full webinar)
Understanding emerges: MBL scientists visualize the creation of condensates
Discovery could give investigators a new tool in death investigations
Ultrasonic pest control to protect beehives
PFAS mixture disrupts normal placental development which is important for a healthy pregnancy
How sound moves on Mars
Increasing plant diversity in agricultural grasslands boosts yields, reducing reliance on fertilizer
[Press-News.org] 55 People Indicted in California-Based Federal Tax Fraud Scheme55 individuals were recently indicted for tax fraud in California. The federal government takes these charges very seriously. The individuals face many years in prison if convicted.