Sheila D. Clinkscale & Jantz S. Clinkscale - Page 10

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          312 (5th Cir. 1984), affg. T.C. Memo. 1984-25; Petzoldt v.                  
          Commissioner, supra at 699-700.  Direct evidence of the requisite           
          fraudulent intent is seldom available.  Petzoldt v. Commissioner,           
          supra at 699; Rowlee v. Commissioner, 80 T.C. 1111, 1123 (1983).            
          Consequently, the Commissioner may prove fraud by circumstantial            
          evidence.  Toussaint v. Commissioner, supra at 312; Rowlee v.               
          Commissioner, supra at 1123; see Marsellus v. Commissioner, 544             
          F.2d 883, 885 (5th Cir. 1977), affg. T.C. Memo. 1975-368.                   
               The courts have identified a number of badges of fraud from            
          which fraudulent intent may be inferred, including (1) the                  
          understatement of income, (2) the failure to maintain adequate              
          records as required by the Code and the regulations, (3) provid-            
          ing incomplete or erroneous information to a tax return preparer            
          or bookkeeper, (4) dealing in cash, (5) acts designed to conceal            
          income, and (6) engaging in illegal activity.  See Bradford v.              
          Commissioner, 796 F.2d 303, 307-308 (9th Cir. 1986), affg. T.C.             
          Memo. 1984-601; Ruark v. Commissioner, 449 F.2d 311, 312-313 (9th           
          Cir. 1971), affg. per curiam T.C. Memo. 1969-48; Niedringhaus v.            
          Commissioner, supra at 211.  Although no single factor is neces-            
          sarily sufficient to establish fraud, the existence of several              
          indicia constitutes persuasive circumstantial evidence of fraud.            
          Petzoldt v. Commissioner, supra at 700; see Bradford v. Commis-             
          sioner, supra at 307.                                                       
               The record establishes that, during each of the taxable                






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