Few Things Stop Bad Lawyering Like The IRS

// The giant grabs and hangs the small businessman and shakes the small businessman to drop moneyIf there is one thing to learn from the legacies of Al Capone and Frank Lucas, it is this: pay your damned taxes! Here’s the fun part, you don’t even have to be a big-time boss to benefit from this advice. You know who should have heeded this little bit of wisdom? Mark Carbutti:

Wallingford attorney Mark Carbutti was sentenced to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release for tax evasion, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced. U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala also ordered Carbutti to repay $750,180 in taxes, interest and penalties.

Carbutti, a personal injury lawyer, reported about $585,025 in income taxes from his legal practice and rental income to the Internal Revenue Service for the 2013 through 2017 tax years, according to court documents.

He received at least 12 notices from the Internal Revenue Service that stated his tax amounts due and how to pay them, but Carbutti evaded paying the taxes, and closed certain personal bank accounts once the IRS levied them. He then deposited the money in limited-liability companies created in association with his real estate holdings, prosecutors said. Carbutti pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion on Dec. 1, 2022.

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-top-300x250" ); });

I’m not sure who has better lawyers between the IRS and Disney, but I’m damned sure I don’t want to find out. Listen, if the IRS does the kindness of telling you how much you owe and how you can get them their money, heed them. At least Carbutti had the common sense to listen to the classic adage of not being your own lawyer:

LawVu Enhances Contract & Matter Functionality With AI Sponsored LawVu Enhances Contract & Matter Functionality With AI LawVu, the category-defining legal workspace for in-house legal teams, today announced the addition of several new AI enhancements to their legal workspace. From LawVu  

[D]efense counsel William F. Dow of Jacobs & Dow argued that Carbutti’s behavior was the result of two significant health issues, and the toll these problems took on his mental health.

“From one perspective, [Carbutti’s] case is almost a Netflix caricature,” the sentencing memorandum said. “A 40-year-old lawyer gets into booze, drugs and gambling, leaves his wife, ignores his clients, and destroys his law practice in pursuit of a hedonistic lifestyle. Along the way, of course, he doesn’t pay his taxes for years. Not a very sympathetic picture and perhaps not a comfortable basis for variance below sentencing guidelines. But that caricature is not accurate.”

I’ma keep it real with you, bro — that sounds pretty damned accurate to me. I know that this would have broken court decorum, but I would have paid at least $13.50 to hear the judge yell out, “Well find the lie then, buddy!” I get it, I get it; you have to defend your client. But giving a laundry list of bad acts and sprinkling it with “my client was merely vibing your honor” isn’t as strong a defense as it you’d expect it to be.

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-middle-300x250" ); }); googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-storycontent-440x100" ); }); googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-in-story-youtube-1x1" ); });

Connecticut Lawyer Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion [Law.com]

Sponsored Why CRM Is An Essential Tech Tool For Law Firms In 2023 Sponsored Why CRM Is An Essential Tech Tool For Law Firms In 2023 CRMs are powerful tools to help law firms grow and scale without needing more staff. Read on for a brief overview of the basic benefits… From Jan Hill - Lawmatics   Artificial Intelligence Saves Lawyers Time And Money While Improving Accessibility Of Data Sponsored Artificial Intelligence Saves Lawyers Time And Money While Improving Accessibility Of Data From Michael Owsley - VIQ Solutions   ChatGPT Draws State Lawmakers’ Attention To AI Sponsored ChatGPT Draws State Lawmakers’ Attention To AI ChatGPT and other AI models have drawn a great deal of public attention since being introduced last year—state lawmakers are taking notice too. From Korey Clark, Editor, State Net Capitol Journal™   Artificial Intelligence Saves Lawyers Time And Money While Improving Accessibility Of Data Sponsored Artificial Intelligence Saves Lawyers Time And Money While Improving Accessibility Of Data From Michael Owsley - VIQ Solutions  

Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-bottom-300x250" ); }); Sponsored The Non-Event Industry Wrap-Up Sponsored The Non-Event Industry Wrap-Up CRM, Virtual Receptionist, Chat and Text Messaging for Law Firms. News from the world of legal tech, featuring Lawmatics and MyCase. From Above the Law   LawVu Enhances Contract & Matter Functionality With AI Sponsored LawVu Enhances Contract & Matter Functionality With AI LawVu, the category-defining legal workspace for in-house legal teams, today announced the addition of several new AI enhancements to their legal workspace. From LawVu   Topics

Courts, IRS, Lawyers Behaving Badly, Mark Carbutti, Tax Law


Introducing Jobbguru: Your Gateway to Career Success

The ultimate job platform is designed to connect job seekers with their dream career opportunities. Whether you're a recent graduate, a seasoned professional, or someone seeking a career change, Jobbguru provides you with the tools and resources to navigate the job market with ease. 

Take the next step in your career with Jobbguru:

Don't let the perfect job opportunity pass you by. Join Jobbguru today and unlock a world of career possibilities. Start your journey towards professional success and discover your dream job with Jobbguru.

Originally posted on: https://abovethelaw.com/2023/05/few-things-stop-bad-lawyering-like-the-irs/