Bernard Kerik's law enforcement career has taken some unbelievable twists and turns. He was the NYPD commissioner in charge of the police response on 9-11, and then three years later was nominated by President George W. Bush to be head of the Department of Homeland Security. Fast forward two more years and Kerik was facing tax fraud charges. After his conviction, he spent three years in a federal prison.
His climb to near the top of his profession was meteoric, and his fall was just as fast. Now out of prison and on probation, Kerik's next stop will soon be here in Ohio to give a speech to security officials on public hostility towards the police.
Kerik's story is something of a morality tale: no matter how high you climb, and no matter how important your friends are, the Internal Revenue Service can be merciless in its pursuit of people suspected of tax fraud.
You might recall that he was indicted on charges of tax fraud and making false statements after he accepted $255,000 in renovations to his New York apartment and then failed to report it as income to the IRS. He eventually pleaded guilty and spent three years in federal prison.
Obviously, his career prospects in law enforcement have diminished as a result of his convictions. But according to a recent report, he is still fielding lucrative offers for security jobs, but is unable to accept the offers because of the terms of his three years of supervised release from prison.
So Kerik's mistakes continue to cost him dearly.
If you have had a similar lapse in judgment and hope to resolve the matter before criminal charges are filed, the first step in the process is to speak with a Cleveland tax attorney experienced in negotiating with the IRS. Discuss the matter confidentially with the attorney, learn of your options and then pursue with your attorney the best course available to you so that possible punishments are minimized.
