By Steve Rhodes
“A Chicago attorney specializing in tax law has been barred from preparing most tax returns for anyone other than he and his family, following allegations that he helped customers – including former Bear Kyle Orton and other NFL players – falsely claim more than $16 million in improper tax credits, according to court records,” the Tribune reports.
“Gary J. Stern consented to the civil injunction order, which was filed earlier this week, without admitting to the allegations against him.
“Stern, currently at Stahl Cowen Crowley Addis LLC, is not allowed to prepare tax returns for individuals, estates, trusts, partnerships or corporations, among others, according to the order. ”
You mean Stern still has his job?
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Stahl Cowen Crowley Addis.
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“As part of his international law and immigration law practices, Gary has developed the ‘Welcome to USA‘ program – a comprehensive program of services for Chinese companies and high net worth persons interested in the United States.”
Where taxes are optional!
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Damn, missed Stern’s webinar on reverse gifting.
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“In a 37-page complaint, federal prosecutors allege that Stern organized, operated and promoted elaborate and bogus tax schemes, primarily to help wealthy people evade federal income taxes.
“According to the complaint, Stern designed at least three tax-fraud schemes that enabled hundreds of people to falsely claim more than $16 million in improper tax credits and avoid paying income tax on at least $3.4 million.
“While at Chuhak & Tecson, Stern promoted the schemes to customers, colleagues and business associates, according to the complaint.”
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Chuhak & Tecson.
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“The complaint alleged his customers included lawyers, entrepreneurs and NFL players, including Orton and retired stars Ray Lewis and Terrell Owens. Those players have filed separate lawsuits against Stern in connection to the tax scheme, alleging fraud and professional malpractice.”
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Impressive, but Stern’s no Paul Daugerdas.
Infrastructure Bust
“After more than a year of talk but little action, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Chicago Infrastructure Trust has made one of its first concrete proposals to help finance the retrofitting of old municipal buildings to make them more energy-efficient,” Crain’s reports.
“In a Nov. 4 filing with the Illinois Commerce Commission, the trust outlined a new program that would enable it and other parties pursuing big-ticket energy-efficiency projects to defray at least some of their costs by collecting payments from Commonwealth Edison Co., furnished by ratepayers.”
You’ve already lost me.
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“[T]he document elicited as many questions as answers. Reached yesterday, Claire Tramm, energy director for the trust, said she couldn’t provide answers until late tomorrow at the earliest.”
And never at the latest.
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No, seriously, Tramm won’t have a clue how any of this works until Rahm’s PR squad explains it to her.
Infrastructure Rust
Former Finkl Site To Be Turned Into Industrial Park.
In a better world: Former Finkl Site To Be Turned Into Industrial Amusement Park.
Infrastructure Mistrust
“The C.I.A. is paying AT&T more than $10 million a year to assist with overseas counterterrorism investigations by exploiting the company’s vast database of phone records, which includes Americans’ international calls, according to government officials,” the New York Times reports.
“The C.I.A. program appears to duplicate work performed by the N.S.A. But a senior American intelligence official, while declining to address whether the AT&T alliance exists, suggested that it would be rational for the C.I.A. to have its own program to check calling patterns linked to overseas terrorism suspects. ”
This is starting to sound awfully familiar.
Flagg: I’m with the CIC.
Burns: Not the CIA?
Flagg: No. I just tell people that so they’ll think I’m with the CID.
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Flagg to Hawkeye: I’m with the CID. Although I told your boss I was with the CIA. It throws people off who think I’m with the CIC.
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Answered: Why Two Obama Loyalists Lost Their Health Policies
Because the plan they already had and liked didn’t offer pediatric dental to the 59- and 60-year-old.
Alderman’s Dad Has Book Out
Former chief of medicine at Cook County Hospital.
We Just Can’t Stop This Wrecking Ball
In The College Football Report.
Beachwood Photo Booth: Chicago Pigeons
Air patrol.
The Week In Chicago Rock
Featuring: Robbie Fulks, A$AP Ferg, Sinead O’Connor, the Mike Wheeler Band, Sparks, Charli XCX, The Devil Wears Prada, and Chief Ghoul.
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The Beachwood Reporter Tip Line: Ghoulish.
Posted on November 8, 2013