CHICAGO – A federal jury has convicted a Chicago attorney of committing tax fraud, attempting to tamper with a witness, and violating a court order.
Michael Abramson, 75, of Wilmette, Ill., was convicted Tuesday on all 15 tax fraud, witness tampering, and violation of court order charges against him.
The jury returned the verdicts after a week-long trial in federal court in Chicago.
U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for May 1, 2024.
Abramson was an attorney in Chicago when he filed and caused to be filed false individual tax returns for himself and false corporate returns for a company in which he held an ownership interest – Illinois-based Leasing Employment Services Co., Inc.
Evidence at trial revealed that Abramson provided more than $1 million for personal expenses to a woman with whom he was romantically involved.
He then took deductions on what were falsely characterized as commissions or loans and included the fraudulent loans as an asset on the company’s tax returns.
The expenses Abramson characterized as purported loans included funds expended on behalf of the woman related to a condo in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood, several luxury automobiles, and payments for travel, shopping, and restaurants.
Following the indictment in this case, the Court ordered Abramson not to have any contact with witnesses, including Abramson’s bookkeeper, whom Abramson knew would be an important witness at trial.
Weeks before trial was initially set to begin on Feb. 5, 2024, Abramson gave the bookkeeper a copy of her previous court testimony, on which he had made handwritten notes changing, supplementing, or otherwise scripting her answers, and told her to review it before trial.
Although Abramson told the bookkeeper not to bring the notes to a meeting with law enforcement, the bookkeeper nonetheless turned the scripted transcript over to law enforcement.
The jury convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Rothblatt and Edward A. Liva, Jr.
Mandatory Facts:
1. Defendant/respondent REAL full name or legal entity name: Michael Abramson
2. Exact criminal charges: All 15 tax fraud, witness tampering, and violation of court order charges
3. City and state: Chicago, Illinois
4. EXACT DATE with month/day/year: The jury returned the verdicts after a week-long trial in federal court in Chicago, sentencing set for May 1, 2024
5. Sentence or outcome: Convicted, sentencing set for May 1, 2024
6. Dollar amounts where applicable: $1 million for personal expenses
DEFENDANT NAME: Michael Abramson
CRIMINAL CHARGES: Tax fraud, witness tampering, violating a court order
CITY AND STATE: Chicago, Illinois
DATE: May 1, 2024
SENTENCE: Convicted, sentencing set for May 1, 2024
DOLLAR AMOUNT: $1 million for personal expenses
Related Federal Cases
- Jason Hines, Tax Fraud, Illinois 2023 · Illinois
- Eugene Fanfan, Tax Evasion, Florida 2016 · California
- William M. Mahon, Falsifying Bank Records and Tax Evasion, Illinois 2017 · Washington
- Jan R. Kowalski, Bankruptcy Fraud, Illinois 2023 · Connecticut
- John A. Greager II, Health Care Fraud, Illinois 2021 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
White Collar CrimeWhite Collar CrimeWhite Collar CrimeWhite Collar Crime