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LAS VEGAS---A boast made from the witness stand that he had helped thousands of people avoid paying some $2 billion in income taxes was used against anti-tax crusader and author Irwin Schiff at his sentencing Friday.
 Schiff, 78, who his attorney says is mentally ill, was convicted Oct. 24 of conspiracy, tax evasion and tax fraud. He’ll spend more than 13 years in federal prison for advising people that there’s no U.S. law that requires them to pay income tax.
Schiff says the government is trying to suppress the truth.
An appeal is planned.
U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson said that Schiff and his company, Freedom Books, was a flimflam operation which encouraged people to avoid paying taxes. Schiff was also ordered to pay over $4.2 million in restitution.
Cynthia Neun, Schiff’s former girlfriend, was sentenced to five years, eight months in federal prison for also advising people there was no law requiring them to pay income tax. She was ordered to pay $1 million in restitution in addition to back taxes, interest and penalties. 2-25-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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