Sarkis N. and Baka S. Balabanian - Page 3

                                        - 3 -                                         
               Beginning in 1988, petitioners became involved in a complex            
          and circuitous relationship with Joseph.  Petitioners’                      
          involvement with Joseph began with $30,000 and increased to over            
          $200,000 by July 1990.  The monthly "interest" paid by Joseph was           
          either paid to petitioners or credited as an increase in their              
          investment.  Petitioners did not report any interest from these             
          transactions on their Federal income tax returns, including the             
          1990 return.  M&L also made payments totaling $10,000 toward                
          petitioners' purchase of a motor vehicle.                                   
               Also beginning sometime in 1988, petitioner became involved            
          with Joseph/M&L in a check exchanging arrangement that ultimately           
          became part of a check kiting scheme.  M&L had cash-flow                    
          problems, and the goal of the scheme was to obtain some "float"             
          in order to extend the time to pay commitments.  The kiting also            
          made it appear that M&L had more cash because of the inflation              
          caused by the kiting activity.  Under the arrangement, M&L would            
          draw a check in favor of petitioner, and petitioner, in turn,               
          would draw several checks totaling approximately the same amount            
          to M&L.  For 1989 and 1990, M&L's checks to petitioner exceeded             
          petitioner's checks to M&L as follows:                                      
                                             1989           1990                      
               Amount from M&L          $5,866,328     $3,263,124                     
               Amount to M&L               5,815,280      2,571,129                   
               Excess received by                                                     
          petitioner                   51,048        691,995                          







Page:  Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  Next

Last modified: May 25, 2011