Taxation & Estate Planning

Federal Grand Jury Issues Subpoenas for Criminal Investigation by IRS' Major Fraud Division Regarding Estate Tax Return

By Juan C. Antúnez

UPDATE:

This is a first, I just received a demand letter from a firm in California requesting that I "remove [this] posting from [my] blog forthwith."  [Click here for copy of demand letter].  Apparently, I "should" have known that the original story was pulled by the Orange County Business Journal.  No, I didn't know, and am at a loss as to why I "should" have known this fact.

I have to say I'm somewhat flattered that someone in California thinks this Florida-focused blog is important enough to warrant a demand letter.  Anyway, as stated in the demand letter, the offending report has been pulled by the Orange County Business Journal, so who am I to say no.  The post below has been redacted accordingly.

ORIGINAL BLOG POST - AS REDACTED:

I've previously written about Florida probate litigants successfully claiming the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination [click here].  The reason why litigants claim this constitutional right in a probate proceeding is because they don't want their testimony used against them in a criminal investigation.  This is a legitimate concern. 

A probate case out of California involving the estate of Vitamin C entrepreneur Jay Patrick and his California-based Alacer Corp. is a good example of how estate litigation can spill over into a criminal investigation.  .  .  .

[Original text deleted in response to the demand letter linked-to above.]

Full post as published by Florida Probate Litigation Blog on February 06, 2008 (boomark / email).