United States v. John Ballard

OPINION

SUTTON, Circuit Judge.

John Ballard lied about his income, hid money in family members’ bank accounts, and filed then dismissed several Chapter 13 bankruptcy petitions. Through these and other inartful dodges, he tried to avoid paying $848,798 in taxes arising from his income as a securities broker between 2000 and 2008. The Internal Revenue Service noticed. Even after the IRS started asking questions, Ballard told the agency that he did not have any income in 2009, when in truth he had made over $500,000 as a broker that year. The lies and deceptions led to a criminal charge, then a…