- 17 - tax law. Petitioner's testimony was vague, and he remembered few specifics surrounding the surrender agreement, the sublease agreement, and the meetings with Signorile. Petitioner could not remember signing the surrender agreement. We also give less weight to petitioner's testimony because of his prior efforts to mislead Sotiriou and Signorile. Considering the record taken as a whole and reasonable inferences therefrom, we conclude that petitioner intended to evade taxes known to be owing by conduct intended to conceal, mislead, or otherwise prevent the collection of taxes, and that the portion of the underpayment for the taxable year 1989 attributable to the $322,500 paid by Seawall pursuant to the surrender agreement is attributable to fraud. Respondent has conceded that the underpayment of tax attributable to the rent- free use of the new apartment is not attributable to fraud. Respondent determined that petitioners are liable for a penalty under section 6662(a) for any portion of the underpayment for the taxable year 1989 not attributable to fraud, and for the entire underpayments for the taxable years 1990 and 1991. Section 6662(a) imposes a penalty equal to 20 percent of the portion of the underpayment that is attributable to negligence. We have held that the underpayment attributable to the unreported $322,500 is attributable to petitioner's fraud. This holding makes moot respondent's alternative determination as to petitioners pursuant to section 6662 that the underpayment of taxPage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Next
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