Ella Freidus - Page 18




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          Commissioner, 94 T.C. 654, 660 (1990); Recklitis v. Commissioner,            
          supra at 909. Fraud is never presumed but must be established by             
          independent evidence.  See Beaver v. Commissioner, 55 T.C. 85, 92            
          (1970); Otsuki v. Commissioner, supra at 105.  Fraud may be                  
          proven by circumstantial evidence because direct evidence of the             
          taxpayer's intent is rarely available.  See Recklitis v.                     
          Commissioner, supra at 909; Rowlee v. Commissioner, 80 T.C. 1111,            
          1123 (1983).                                                                 
               Circumstantial evidence of fraud includes: (1) Consistent               
          and substantial understatement of income, (2) failure to maintain            
          adequate records, (3) failure to file tax returns, (4)                       
          inconsistent or implausible explanations of behavior, (5)                    
          concealing assets, and (6) failure to cooperate with tax                     
          authorities.  See Bradford v. Commissioner, 796 F.2d 303, 307-308            
          (9th Cir. 1986), affg. T.C. Memo. 1984-601.  Other badges of                 
          fraud include the failure to make estimated tax payments,                    
          extensive dealings in cash, see Recklitis v. Commissioner, supra             
          at 910; the awareness of the obligation to file returns, report              
          income and pay taxes, see Schiff v. United States, 919 F.2d 830,             
          833 (2d Cir. 1990); and failure to provide tax return preparers              
          with complete and accurate information, see Korecky v.                       
          Commissioner, 781 F.2d 1566, 1569 (11th Cir. 1986), affg. T.C.               
          Memo. 1985-63.                                                               
               In this case, petitioner has willfully failed to file timely            
          tax returns for the 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990 taxable years;                



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