Leonard Ray Blanton and Betty Blanton - Page 17

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            $38,334.50 that resulted in the underpayment.  Accordingly,                                 
            pursuant to section 6653(b), respondent has proven that an                                  
            underpayment of tax exists for the year in issue.  We now must                              
            decide whether petitioner intended to conceal, mislead, or                                  
            otherwise prevent the collection of such taxes.  Rowlee v.                                  
            Commissioner, supra at 1123, and cases cited therein.                                       
                  The existence of fraud is a question of fact to be resolved                           
            upon consideration of the entire record.  Gajewski v.                                       
            Commissioner, 67 T.C. 181, 199 (1976), affd. without published                              
            opinion 578 F.2d 1383 (8th Cir. 1978).  Fraud will never be                                 
            presumed.  Beaver v. Commissioner, 55 T.C. 85, 92 (1970).  Fraud                            
            may, however, be proved by circumstantial evidence, because                                 
            direct proof of the taxpayer's intent is rarely available.                                  
            Rowlee v. Commissioner, supra.  The taxpayer's entire course of                             
            conduct may establish the requisite fraudulent intent.  Stone v.                            
            Commissioner, 56 T.C. 213, 223-224 (1971).  The intent to conceal                           
            or mislead may be inferred from a pattern of conduct.  See Spies                            
            v. United States, 317 U.S. 492, 499 (1943).  Over the years, this                           
            Court has developed a nonexclusive list of the various kinds of                             
            circumstantial evidence that may support a finding of fraud.  See                           
            Niedringhaus v. Commissioner, 99 T.C. 202, 211 (1992) (citing                               
            Bradford v. Commissioner, 796 F.2d 303, 307 (9th Cir. 1986),                                
            affg. T.C. Memo. 1984-601).                                                                 








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