White Collar Criminal Tax Defense

The defense of clients who are or may be under criminal investigation for violation of state and federal tax law has been a significant part of Robert Chicoine’s practice.

Criminal Tax Investigations

Most IRS and state audits involve exposure to additional taxes, interest and most likely, civil penalties. Criminal investigations are an entirely different matter. The potential sanctions are not just the payment of more tax, interest and penalties, but felony convictions, prison time, fines and restitution of unreported taxes. For various reasons, criminal tax investigations often drag on for years. The stakes are obviously high. The situation not only requires a lawyer who knows about taxes, but one who has the experience and willingness to defend the client against zealous prosecutors in negotiations or at trial.

With the expansion of globalization, the world of commerce is a smaller place. New laws and treaties have allowed governments’ greater access to information that was once thought to be private or unreachable by international exchanges of information. Robert Chicoine Law attorneys are vigilant on keeping abreast with new Codes, Regulations and law that affect federal tax and their clients.

A Record of Success

Robert Chicoine Law has obtained favorable results defending clients accused of:

• tax evasion
• perjury
• conspiracy
• obstruction of justice
• estate tax fraud
• money laundering
• failure to file returns
• willful failure to pay taxes
• currency violations
• aiding and abetting
• tax preparer prosecutions

Robert Chicoine has handled criminal tax investigations conducted administratively by the IRS and by the grand jury process frequently used by the Department of Justice. Richard Ainsworth was a Senior Litigation attorney with IRS Chief Counsel and Legal Issues Officer with the New Hampshire Department of Revenue.

Robert Chicoine Law has the commitment, experience, and ability to achieve the best possible result. This is why Robert Chicoine Law has been voted by other lawyers and selected by the U.S. News and World Report as a one of the Best Law Firms in America for white collar criminal defense in the specialty of taxation.

Sample of Significant Cases We've Handled

TAX COURTS

• Browning v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2011-261 (2011). Successfully tried case in Tax Court involving offshore employee lending arrangement whereby the government asserted it had a 6 year statute of limitations due to fraud; Tax Court found no fraud in 3 of the 6 years; the 3 years of no fraud were the years when substantial taxes had been assessed so it was a significant victory for the client.
• Peacock v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 1997-282 (1997). Civil Tax Fraud.
• Jolar Cinema, Inc., v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo 1983-403 (1983). Civil Tax Fraud.

STATE OF WASHINGTON

• State of Washington v. Torset. Snohomish County Superior Court (Cause No. 16-1-00643-9). Defended sales tax evasion prosecution. Dismissal of charges against defendant.
• State of Washington v. Hirning. Pierce County Superior Court (Cause No. 16-1-01053-1). Defended sales tax evasion prosecution.

FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT

• United States v. Felix Landau. (WD WA 2:08-cr-00061-MJP) Defended Criminal prosecution of Attorney for tax evasion and obstruction of justice.