Announcement 2012-28

Suspended from practice before the IRS —An individual who is suspended is not eligible to represent taxpayers before the IRS during the term of the suspension.

Censured in practice before the IRS —Censure is a public reprimand. Unlike disbarment or suspension, censure does not affect an individual’s eligibility to represent taxpayers before the IRS, but OPR may subject the individual’s future

The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) announces recent disciplinary sanctions involving attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, enrolled actuaries, enrolled retirement plan agents, and appraisers. These individuals are subject to the regulations governing practice before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which are set out in Title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 10, and which are published in pamphlet form as

Treasury Department Circular No. 230. The regulations prescribe the duties and restrictions relating to such practice and prescribe the disciplinary sanctions for violating the regulations.

The disciplinary sanctions to be imposed for violation of the regulations are:

Disbarred from practice before the IRS —An individual who is disbarred is not eligible to represent taxpayers before the IRS.

July 2, 2012 10 2012–27 I.R.B.

plan agent may also offer to resign in order to avoid a disciplinary proceeding.

Suspended by decision in expedited proceeding, Suspended by default de- cision in expedited proceeding, Sus- pended by consent in expedited pro- ceeding —OPR instituted an expedited proceeding for suspension (based on certain limited grounds, including loss of a professional license and criminal convictions).

OPR has authority to disclose the grounds for disciplinary sanctions in these situations: (1) an ALJ or the Secretary’s delegate on appeal has issued a decision on or after September 26, 2007, which was the effective date of amendments to the regulations that permit making such decisions publicly available; (2) the individual has settled a disciplinary case by signing OPR’s “consent to sanction” form, which requires consenting individuals to admit to one or more violations of the regulations and to consent to the disclosure of the individual’s own return information related to the admitted violations (for example, failure to file Federal income tax returns); or (3) OPR has issued a decision in an expedited proceeding for suspension.

Announcements of disciplinary sanctions appear in the Internal Revenue Bulletin at the earliest practicable date. The sanctions announced below are alphabetized first by the names of states and second by the last names of individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, section numbers ( e.g ., § 10.51) refer to the regulations.

representations to conditions designed to promote high standards of conduct.

Monetary penalty —A monetary penalty may be imposed on an individual who engages in conduct subject to sanction or on an employer, firm, or entity if the individual was acting on its behalf and if it knew, or reasonably should have known, of the individual’s conduct.

Disqualification of appraiser —An appraiser who is disqualified is barred from presenting evidence or testimony in any administrative proceeding before the Department of the Treasury or the IRS.

Under the regulations, attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, enrolled actuaries, and enrolled retirement plan agents may not assist, or accept assistance from, individuals who are suspended or disbarred with respect to matters constituting practice ( i.e ., representation) before the IRS, and they may not aid or abet suspended or disbarred individuals to practice before the IRS.

Disciplinary sanctions are described in these terms:

Disbarred by decision after hearing, Suspended by decision after hearing, Censured by decision after hearing, Monetary penalty imposed after hear- ing, and Disqualified after hearing —An administrative law judge (ALJ) conducted an evidentiary hearing upon OPR’s complaint alleging violation of the regulations and issued a decision imposing one of these sanctions. After 30 days from the issuance of the decision, in the absence of an appeal, the ALJ’s decision became the final agency decision.

Disbarred by default decision, Sus- pended by default decision, Censured by default decision, Monetary penalty im- posed by default decision, and Disqual- ified by default decision —An ALJ, after finding that no answer to OPR’s complaint had been filed, granted OPR’s motion for a default judgment and issued a decision imposing one of these sanctions.

Disbarment by decision on appeal, Suspended by decision on appeal, Cen- sured by decision on appeal, Monetary penalty imposed by decision on ap- peal, and Disqualified by decision on appeal —The decision of the ALJ was appealed to the agency appeal authority, acting as the delegate of the Secretary of the Treasury, and the appeal authority issued a decision imposing one of these sanctions.

Disbarred by consent, Suspended by consent, Censured by consent, Mone- tary penalty imposed by consent, and Disqualified by consent —In lieu of a disciplinary proceeding being instituted or continued, an individual offered a consent to one of these sanctions and OPR accepted the offer. Typically, an offer of consent will provide for: suspension for an indefinite term; conditions that the individual must observe during the suspension; and the individual’s opportunity, after a stated number of months, to file with OPR a petition for reinstatement affirming compliance with the terms of the consent and affirming current eligibility to practice ( i.e ., an active professional license or active enrollment status). An enrolled agent or an enrolled retirement

City & State Name Professional Disciplinary Sanction Effective Date(s) Designation

Alabama

Auburn Douglas Jr., James B. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (attorney disbarment)

California

Indefinite from February 2, 2012

Palo Alto Gonzales, Juanita A. Enrolled Agent Reinstated to practice before the IRS, January 29, 2012

2012–27 I.R.B. 11 July 2, 2012

City & State Name Professional Disciplinary Sanction Effective Date(s) Designation

California (Continued)

Santa Ana Ortega, Manuel Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (suspension of attorney license)

Newport Beach Wolfe, Gerald L. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (suspension of attorney license)

Colorado

Indefinite from February 2, 2012

Indefinite from March 14, 2012

Colorado Springs Anderson, Edwin G. Enrolled Agent Reinstated to practice before the IRS, February 2, 2012

Connecticut

Weston Kingsley, Steven T. CPA Reinstated to practice before the IRS, July 13, 2004

Florida

Clearwater Schmautz, Emil N. CPA Suspended by decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (convicted in state court, scheme to defraud)

Georgia

Indefinite from March 6, 2012

Austell Black, Charles C. Attorney Reinstated to practice before the IRS, January 29, 2012

Athens Bonner, Charles B. CPA Reinstated to practice before the IRS, January 29, 2012

Leesburg Mathis, Craig S. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (attorney disbarment)

Fayetteville Pesanto, Wilfredo Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (suspension of attorney license)

Indefinite from March 13, 2012

Indefinite from February 6, 2012

July 2, 2012 12 2012–27 I.R.B.

City & State Name Professional Disciplinary Sanction Effective Date(s) Designation

Iowa

Osceola Murphy, Richard J. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (suspension of attorney license)

Kansas

Leawood Poppe, Thomas V. CPA Suspended by decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 1027, false statement on form required by ERISA)

Kentucky

Indefinite from February 2, 2012

Indefinite from April 4, 2012

Crestview Hills Robison, Jean P. CPA Reinstated to practice before the IRS, February 8, 2012

Louisiana

Mandeville Tallon, Melissa H. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (suspension of attorney license)

Maryland

Harwood Venuti, John J. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (conviction under 26 U.S.C. § 7203, failure to file income tax return)

Michigan

Indefinite from February 3, 2012

Indefinite from April 10, 2012

Livonia Matusz, Mark M. CPA Reinstated to practice before the IRS, February 2, 2012

Nevada

Las Vegas Salas, Richard J. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (attorney disbarment)

Indefinite from February 2, 2012

2012–27 I.R.B. 13 July 2, 2012

City & State Name Professional Disciplinary Sanction Effective Date(s) Designation

New Jersey

Freehold Davis, Richard B. CPA Reinstated to practice before the IRS, March 16, 2012

West Long Branch Needle, Leonard S. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (attorney disbarment)

New York

Bronx Engram, Jimmie L. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (attorney disbarment)

Airmont Kingoff, Stuart N. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (attorney disbarment)

Pesanto, Wilfredo, See Georgia

North Carolina

Graham Drumwright Jr., Robert G.

Ohio

CPA Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (revocation of CPA license)

Indefinite from February 6, 2012

Indefinite from February 6, 2012

Indefinite from February 6, 2012

Indefinite from February 2, 2012

Columbus Merrelli Jr., Joseph J. CPA Reinstated to practice before the IRS, February 2, 2012

Oregon

Portland Bohn, Morton D. CPA Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 1344, bank fraud and 18 U.S.C. § 1957, money laundering)

Pennsylvania

Indefinite from March 16, 2012

Ambler Breznicky, David M. CPA Reinstated to practice before the IRS, November 30, 2011

July 2, 2012 14 2012–27 I.R.B.

City & State Name Professional Disciplinary Sanction Effective Date(s) Designation

Texas

San Antonio Burt, Charles E. CPA Suspended by decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (revocation of CPA license)

Virginia

Alexandria Hadeed Jr., Michael M. Attorney Suspended by default decision in expedited proceeding under § 10.82 (conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 371, conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and to defraud the U.S. and 18 U.S.C. § 1001, material false statements, aiding and abetting)

Indefinite from February 8, 2012

Indefinite from February 6, 2012

2012–27 I.R.B. 15 July 2, 2012