Gabriel Lopez - Page 11




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            taxpayer also filed false Forms W-4.3  Hebrank v. Commissioner,                            
            81 T.C. 640, 642 (1983); Rowlee v. Commissioner, supra at 1123-                            
            1125; Habersham-Bey v. Commissioner, 78 T.C. 304, 313 (1982); see                          
            Schiff v. Commissioner, supra.                                                             
                  Petitioner did not file tax returns for the years in issue                           
            until September 24, 1993.  As noted supra, he also filed false                             
            Forms W-4.  For approximately 20 years prior to the first year in                          
            issue, petitioner filed tax returns.                                                       
                  5.    Failure To Cooperate                                                           
                  Failure to cooperate with taxing authorities is evidence of                          
            fraud.  Bradford v. Commissioner, supra at 307.  Petitioner                                
            refused to show Revenue Agent Bonovich the documents he relied                             
            upon to support his position that he was not required to file.                             
            At the meeting with the special agents, petitioner was                                     
            argumentative, evasive, forgetful, and generally uncooperative.                            
                  6.    Cheek Defense                                                                  
                  Petitioner’s only argument against the imposition of the                             
            addition to tax and penalty for fraud is a Cheek defense.  A good                          
            faith misunderstanding of the Internal Revenue Code may be a                               
            defense against additions to tax pursuant to section 6653(b) and                           
            penalties for fraud pursuant to section 6663.  See Cheek v.                                

                  3  The failure to file tax returns combined with the use of                          
            false Forms W-4 may be sufficient to establish criminal tax                                
            evasion.  United States v. Parkinson, 602 F. Supp. 121, 123 (N.D.                          
            Ill. 1984), affd. without published opinion 774 F.2d 1168 (7th                             
            Cir. 1985).                                                                                





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