- 45 - extensive dealings in cash. Bradford v. Commissioner, 796 F.2d at 307; Parks v. Commissioner, 94 T.C. 654, 664 (1990); Temple v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2000-337. No single factor is necessarily dispositive, but a combination of several factors is persuasive circumstantial evidence of fraud. Petzoldt v. Commissioner, 92 T.C. at 699. “A pattern of consistent underreporting of income, particularly when accompanied by other circumstances exhibiting an intent to conceal, justifies the inference of fraud.” Posnanski v. Commissioner, supra; see Holland v. Commissioner, 348 U.S. 121, 137 (1954). Petitioner consistently underreported large sums of money. See Marcus v. Commissioner, 70 T.C. 562, 577 (1978), affd. without published opinion 621 F.2d 439 (5th Cir. 1980). Petitioner’s failure to substantiate adequately his alleged advances and expenses makes it impossible to verify his allegations. This Court has found in a similar case that the “inadequacy of petitioners’ records, under the circumstances, constitutes a significant indicia of fraud.” Otsuki v. Commissioner, 53 T.C. at 110 (citing Galant v. Commissioner, 26 T.C. 354, 365 (1956)). Petitioner cannot rely upon events that occurred in his life before, during, and after the relevant periods in issue. While we are sympathetic with petitioner’s personal problems, we cannot condone his failure to report significant sums of income over aPage: Previous 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 Next
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