-23- the underpayment resulting from fraud, but only that some part of the underpayment is attributable thereto. See Otsuki v. Commissioner, 53 T.C. 96, 105 (1969). Fraud is generally defined as intentional wrongdoing on the part of the taxpayer, with the specific purpose of evading tax believed to be owed. See Powell v. Granquist, 252 F.2d 56 (9th Cir. 1958); Mitchell v. Commissioner, 118 F.2d 308, 310 (5th Cir. 1941), revg. and remanding 40 B.T.A. 424 (1939). Negligence of a taxpayer, whether slight or gross, is not sufficient to prove fraud. See Mitchell v. Commissioner, supra at 310. To prove fraud, the Commissioner must show that the taxpayer intended to evade taxes believed to be owing by conduct intended to conceal, mislead, or otherwise prevent the collection of taxes. See Parks v. Commissioner, 94 T.C. 654, 661 (1990). The presence of fraud is a question of fact to be resolved upon consideration of the entire record. See Recklitis v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. 874, 909 (1988). Because direct proof of the taxpayer's intent is rarely available, fraud may be proved by circumstantial evidence. See Spies v. United States, 317 U.S. 492 (1943); Recklitis v. Commissioner, supra at 910. Courts have developed a nonexclusive list of the types of circumstantial evidence--often referred to as "badges of fraud"--that will support a finding of fraudulent intent. In Bradford v. Commissioner, 796 F.2d 303, 307 (9th Cir. 1986), affg. T.C. Memo. 1984-601, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit--to which an appeal of this case would lie--setPage: Previous 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Next
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